LET’S TALK HEALTHCARE WITH DR.

ZEHRA HUSAIN

Dr. Zehra Husain practised at the Cantonement General Hospital in Bolarum, Secunderabad,
in the state of Telangana in India. She was the Deputy Civil Surgeon there, as well as the Medical
Officer in charge of the hospital. Dr. Husain practised in the public sector from 1964 to 1988 and has
been practising in the private sector ever since. She has helped countless people and changed their
lives for the better. I, Mariam Husain, had the wonderful opportunity to interview her and gain some
insight into the world of healthcare in India:

Mariam: The 16th UNSDG goal discusses the creation and maintenance of peaceful, just, and
sustainable institutions. My team and I firmly believe that equality is the key to achieving this goal. In
that regard, may I ask you a few questions about your time as head of a hospital while being a
practising doctor?

Dr. Husain: Yes, please go ahead.

Mariam: What were the policies in place to curb casteism in the ranks of doctors?

Dr. Husain: Social caste and class issues existed. I always approached the administration of the
hospital with a ‘patient comes first principle’. My family and I lived on the campus, and thus I was
always accessible and approachable. I kept myself open to all points of view and made it a point to
listen to all grievances and took immediate action. If a member of my staff refused to carry out a
certain duty, I stepped in and completed it. My tenure was about cultivating an organised and smooth
system. When focus is placed on patient care alone, all other differences fall aside.

Mariam: How did you deal with situations when a patient requested a doctor of a certain caste,
religion, or gender?

Dr. Husain: I was fortunate to not have any such overt discriminatory situations arise. If they would
have, as a leader, I would attend to a patient refusing a certain doctor. I found patients showing me
respect and deference as the medical officer in charge. Hopefully, seeing me extend compassion to
them would make them compassionate towards others. Also, in a situation of pain and suffering, all
else falls away. Compassion and medical competence are key, and I ensured that we developed and
maintained an efficient system to cater to our patient’s needs.

Mariam: On the other hand, how did you handle instances when a patient from a so-called lower caste
was shunned by a member of staff under the ruse of ‘not being able to relate to them’?

Dr. Husain: I treated them myself, and most of my staff followed my example. Medicine was the only
‘caste’ I recognised. I spoke gently with any patient who was afraid of ostracization and fortunately,
we did not have anyone offensive on our staff. Equality would be much easier to achieve if we
focused on the disease and its treatment rather than the background of the body it chose to afflict.

Mariam: As I see it, only one sort of hierarchy should exist amongst doctors and that is one based on
your level of experience. To uphold this, how did you ensure that no new doctors fell prey to the
archaic notion of a hierarchy of castes?

Dr. Husain: It was a government hospital. Most of our appointments were fair but it is wholly
possible that there was injustice. I faced it being refused Medical Office position for being a woman.
In my case, I received guidance from a colleague and wrote to authorities and fought for my right. I
quoted the instance of our then Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi and told the panel that if she could
run a country, I could run a hospital. I encouraged everyone to speak up and be heard.

Mariam: I know that acid attacks were unfortunately very common in Maharashtra. What were the
most common crimes against women that you witnessed, having practiced in South India?
Dr. Husain: Burn victims, women being burned as a consequence of alcoholic husbands. We tried to
by encourage girls to be educated, sponsored girls’ education in various ways. I contributed
provisions and gave employment whenever possible to women to manage daily sustenance
so they could get away from abusive households. This was all out of pocket, and I am grateful I could
and still can work towards this.

Mariam: Were personal assaults against women handled well or did the environment cause women to
shy away from seeking medical help?

Dr. Husain: Our hospital was renowned for maternity care, so it helped create a safe space for women
patients to approach us for help. As such, we stayed away from moralizing or judgment and stayed
very tuned in to saving lives. In a broad sense, sadly women sought medical help only too late or
when well-wishers from their family intervened due to the stigma surrounding these assaults. It is
crucial to mention that the conversation surrounding these issues is not what it is today, and many
women were not granted the freedom to make their own choices as they deserved.

Mariam: Your competence was exemplary, as I know from my father but as a woman leading the
hospital, did you ever face challenges due to your gender despite your education and administrative
prowess?

Dr. Husain: Yes. There was the issue of my appointment. During my tenure I have faced
insubordination and outright harassment in form of protests or strikes as scare tactics. I would either
fight my case with the authorities that I was accountable to or attend to hospital matters with the staff
who shared my vision or have meetings with interfering political parties with the help of my
supportive colleagues.

Mariam: Finally, what is your advice to young women who are venturing into the field of medicine or
administration?

Dr. Husain: Read, never stop educating yourself on a wide variety of information. Seek to listen to
and respect views different from your own. Never feel that your ambition is in vain or that you can’t
do something simply because you haven’t seen it done before. Ask, ask, ask. Speak up. Finally, build
a moral compass for yourself to steer yourself when the storms come. God bless you.