'Doctor prescriptions in Kannada only': Not a practical idea, Karnataka minister responds to KDA letter

Dinesh Gundu Rao

The Kannada Development Authority (KDA) on Monday urged Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao to mandate that all doctors working in government health centers and hospitals write prescriptions in Kannada, the state's official language.

KDA chairperson Purushotham Bilimale suggested felicitating doctors every year on Doctors' Day at taluk, district and state level in recognition of their love for Kannada.

"This will be of great help in the progress of Kannada language, and I hereby request you to pay attention in this regard," he said in the letter to the minister.

Bilimale said, "After reading about it in the media, hundreds of doctors voluntarily have expressed to me that they will start writing prescriptions in Kannada to save the language." He said several of them have even shared with him prescriptions written by them in Kannada.

"If government doctors working in health centres, taluk and district hospitals across the state give priority to Kannada while writing prescriptions, it will be a major step towards protecting Kannada identity," Bilimale said, adding that if it is not made mandatory, expected progress cannot be achieved in its implementation. The state government's strong stand will play a key role in this.

How Karnataka ministers responded

Medical Education Minister Sharanaprakash Patil supported the idea and said, “There is nothing wrong with the proposal to issue prescriptions in Kannada. Most doctors know Kannada, but it is a matter of convenience. They should also learn how to write drug names in Kannada."

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao responded to the KDA's letter, saying, "Prescriptions and medical terms should be flexible. If a doctor knows Kannada and can write clearly, they can do so. However, making it mandatory doesn't seem practical”.