I read with great interest the article “Basic traits of an ideal doctor” (March 2) by Saad Al-Dosari. The writer has raised an important issue and each one of us could relate to it without much difficulty.

Ideally, a doctor is supposed to empathize with his patients. We see doctors as people who would better understand our problems and give us undivided attention. We can’t say that none of the doctors are nice. There still exist a fair number of doctors who treat his/her patients very nicely and make them feel relaxed. Unfortunately, like many other professions, medicine has also become too commercialized.

Commercialization, as we know, has wreaked havoc on society. These days, a large number of doctors see their patients as mere statistics. They are more concerned about the number of patients visiting them on a daily basis. The personal touch that used to once the norm has become a thing of past. Truth be told, doctors are not entirely to be blamed. Running hospitals has become a lucrative business. It is no longer viewed a sacred duty. It’s all about minting money. I have some doctor friends who told me that they are continuously under immense pressure from the hospital managements. I was shocked to learn from them the way they were being treated by people who had no idea about this field. That is, perhaps, the root cause of the problem and this problem is not unique to Saudi Arabia. It is becoming a widespread problem.

Jamal Khayyam

Jeddah