'Doctors must speak in Kannada'

Cardiologist Dr Vijayalakshmi Balekundri said that medicos can serve without any difficulty in the state if they know Kannada.

Addressing a session on 'Vijnana Tantrajnana: Kannadada Balake', organised at Maharaja's College Centenary Bhavan, as part of the 83rd Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, she said that doctors should communicate in Kannada with patients. "The prescriptions and letter of consent during emergency should also be in Kannada to enable the not so educated people to understand the medical condition," she said. Balekundri said that in many cases, even though the doctors are very familiar with Kannada, they speak in English with patients. "It may lead to miscommunication as patients may not be well versed in English," she said.