Rs. 11 trumps Rs. 100,000

Hari and his wife have HIV. They are an upper middle class couple - living in a pretty posh locality in Thane.

But even so, spending Rs. 100,000 on medicines, tests and consultations - and still suffering from a diarrhea for 6 months is horrible.

Sheba saw the thick pile of medical papers. Expensive tests done. Various medications prescribed.

She then prayed for the Hari and prescribed a course of co-trimoxazole (commonly called 'ciplin' or 'septran' or 'bactrim'). The cost? Rs. 11.

Today two of our staff visited Mr. Hari and his wife. He is *so* much better. He is *so* grateful not to have the chronic diarrhea he has suffered from - and because of which he has stopped working.

We have some of the cheapest drugs in the world in our country. We also export doctors like nobody's business (and nurses and other para-medicals too) while still having lots who are making a packet. You just have to examine what the dowry rate for a Malayali doctor is to understand how much people expect them to earn.

But what of the terrible cost that all of this has on the trust that once seemed so intrinsic to the medical profession?

We are so privileged that Sheba has the freedom to practice ethical, people-oriented whole-person care. What a joy to be able to listen and pray, share and educate - especially when all around what people hear is so negative and cold.

At the same time, we are humbled when our simple steps bear fruit.

The battle is not over yet for Mr. Hari. He has a long road still to go, but we are glad to have made such a dramatic impact in such a short time.