Don't judge doctors by one action

The recent public uproar over the online circulation of some group photographs taken by some medical staff beside an operating table in a hospital in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, reflects the deep mistrust between patients and hospitals, says an article in Beijing Youth Daily. Excerpts:

A set of photographs, taken by some doctors and nurses in a privately run hospital in Xi'an after they completed a surgery, has drawn criticism from many netizens. Although some netizens have defended the medical staff, saying they were merely congratulating each other on the success of a difficult surgery, many have said that their action reflects their indifference toward patients and the degeneration of professional ethics. The opposing viewpoints mirror the two extreme opinions among the people vis-a-vis hospitals and doctors.

Many ordinary people do look up to doctors as benevolent souls who help patients recover from illnesses. Some even believe that doctors don't use the lancets to fulfill their personal interests. Still others say every successful surgery or treatment to cure a disease is nothing less than a miracle that gives a new life to a patient.