BENGALURU: In the backdrop of the Kannada Development Authority’s (KDA) recommendation for doctors to write prescriptions in Kannada, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, raised concerns about the practical challenges of implementing this directive in the medical field.
While acknowledging the importance of promoting Kannada, Gundu Rao emphasised the need for a thorough dialogue with all stakeholders before making such a significant change.
Recently, the KDA, led by its Chairman Dr Purushottama Bilimale, suggested that prescriptions be written in Kannada to promote the local language in medical practice.
The suggestion received considerable support from the public, with many doctors sharing medicine vouchers that lack Kannada translations, highlighting the urgency of the issue.
In response, Gundu Rao, appreciating the initiative, cautioned against the complexities involved in making Kannada mandatory in medical prescriptions. He noted that while Kannada is the sovereign language of Karnataka, the medical field’s complexity requires careful consideration. “If doctors, patients, nurses or drug sellers, stumbles in understanding Kannada correctly, it can become a question of life and death for the patients,” he stated.
Gundu Rao emphasised that the medical field, which directly impacts people’s health, is vast and intricate, necessitating prior dialogue with all parties concerned.
He further stressed the importance of a detailed examination of the pros and cons of using Kannada in medical practice. He suggested that while the government is committed to promoting Kannada, it is crucial to evaluate the feasibility of implementing such measures in the medical field inclusively.
He assured that the concerns and suggestions raised by the KDA would be brought to the notice of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and that action would be taken only with the consent of all stakeholders involved.