Dhananjay Kumar
Editor-In-Chief
The writer of the much acclaimed book ‘Dishonest Medi(a)cine’, Dhananjay delivered a hard hitting comment on the quality (or lack of it) of health reporting in India. He was the Founding Secretary General of HEAL (Health Essayist and Authors’ League), the only coalition of health writers for the SAARC countries. As a respected opinion maker and writer, Dhananjay has led health writers from across the country in the quest for improving the quality of health reporting.
Starting with IANS, Dhananjay has worked with many mainstream newspaper groups in Delhi including TOI and HT.
Know Dhananjay Kumar, Editor-in-Chief, who is shaping up opinion in medical realm. He will pilot meditoall and strive to make it the bible for health seekers.
Profile – Dhananjay Kumar, the writer of much acclaimed researched book ‘ Dishonest Medi(a) cine’, the first of its kind on health in the country, underlining the quality ( or lack of it) of health reporting in India and medical underbelly, is a cherished opinion maker in the medical arena of the country. Being the founding Secretary General of HEAL (Health Essayist and Authors’ League), only coalition of health writers for the SAARC countries, he has a pan- Indian presence. He has, under the aegis of HEAL, the unique experience of leading contingent of the health writers of all the mainstream newspapers, namely, TOI, HT, Economic times, Telegraph et el in the quest four improving the quality of health reporting and, thus, is much revered and looked with awe, by the health writers of the whole country. New feather in his cap is– his book Dishonest Medi(a)cine has been reviewed in the latest issue of globally acclaimed tri weekly health magazine ‘Health for the Millions’ under the aegis of Voluntary Health Associations of India. Starting from IANS, Mr. Dhananjay has worked with many mainstream newspaper groups including TOI and HT. Health is so sacrosanct to this health editor that he never stopped writing against tobacco menace despite intimidating pressure from formidable tobacco lobby and wrote even those sensitive tobacco stories which no other newspapers dared to touch.
As if he were a guidebook for good doctors, he gets innumerable calls, e-mails and SMSs from unknown persons from all over the country to find out which hospitals and doctors would be reliable for their particular ailments. After ‘Satyamev Jayate’ fame program of Amir Khan, who painted doctor and hospitals as villains, the number of these communications has all of a sudden increased manifold.
But the quintessence of this website would not be doctor bashing and sensational and strident posturing but becoming a transparent and honest link between health providers and recipients and doing much needed intervention whenever patient’s interest would be at stake. Keeping in view the changing mode of news dissemination and fast approaching ‘Smart Phone era’ of reporting, he has deliberately changed the tack and took to web route to keep pace with the changing time. Though he would continue writing columns for newspapers and health magazines, his main thrust would be to mediate virtually among health stakeholders. It would serve as a ready reckoner 4 Medical tourists too.
Last but not the least; just see what Dr. Ashok Seth (Padma Shree), Chairman, Cardiology, Fortis Escort Heart Institute, has to say about him in his piece ‘Health Needs An Honest Vehicle To Spread’ which he has written for Mr. Dhananjay’s book Dishonest Medi(a)cine. Dr. Ashok Seth writes in one stanza of his piece – ‘I have known Dhananjay, the writer of this book, for a pretty long time. I will say, without a shade of exaggeration, that I have seen very few alert health writers of his ilk. He is so much nuanced about health matters that doctors sit upright when he is part of the media brigade. If he has been invited for the press conference, experts must come fully prepared, lest they are caught unawares by his rapier like wit. His questions make a press conference really worth it and keep the doctors accurate and truthful’.