National Doctor’s Day is celebrated on 1st July of every year since 1991. The day honours the vast contributions of the acclaimed doctor, freedom fighter, and former Chief Minister of West Bengal, Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy to the field of medicine. In the present day, Doctors Day is commemorated to acknowledge the indispensable role that doctors play in our lives.
Doctors Day History & Significance
As mentioned, National Doctor’s Day is commemorated on the first of July every year. It is celebrated as a tribute to Dr Vidhan Chandra Roy, a much revered doctor, freedom fighter, and the former Chief Minister of India. That apart, he was also an educationist and a philanthropist. 1st July being his birthday, Doctors Day too is celebrated on the same day. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1961 owing to his contributions as a doctor, philanthropist and politician. He played an integral role in the establishment of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Medical Council of India (MCI). The day is organised by the IMA, to carry on the legacy of doctors day history. Doctors Day is celebrated to recognise and praise the contributions of doctors in serving humanity. This is the summation of National Doctor’s Day significance.
5 Interesting Facts About Doctor’s Day
- The first Doctor’s Day was commemorated on 30th March, 1933 in Winder, Georgia in the United States.
- The day is celebrated on different days across the world. The U.S. celebrated it on 30th march, while Iran commemorates it on 23rd August.
- Some countries observe a holiday on this day.
- Brazil observes the day as a holiday on 18th October. It is also on the same day that the Catholic church celebrates the birth anniversary of Saint Luke.
- In Cuba, the day is commemorated on 3rd December. It is the birth anniversary of Carlos Juan Finlay. The country observes a holiday on this day.
How Is National Doctor’s Day Celebrated In India?
- Health centres organise health screening camps and medical check-ups. Some of the most common medical tests like blood and sugar tests, ECGs, EEGs, etc. are offered for free.
- Knowledge about the importance of healthcare is imparted to underserved communities across the nation. They are also taught about ways to protect themselves from diseases.
- Conferences and discussion forums are held to make people aware about health and convince them to take care of themselves.
3 Ideas For Doctors Day Celebrations
1. Organise A Meal For Your Colleagues
Host a breakfast, lunch, or dinner for your colleagues. Make it a small gathering of your colleagues that you can easily organise all by yourself, or make it a formal occasion where a few of you can invite as many doctors, nurses and other health professionals as you want to. It would be a great way to enjoy the camaraderie with your colleagues, build new work relationships, and share knowledge and good company.
2. Get Your Patients To Write A Sweet Message
Request your patients to write an appreciation message to doctors – “Happy Doctors Day” or something more personal to a specific doctor, for instance, “You are a wonderful doctor, Dr Pal”, “Thank you for saving my life, Dr Roy”. get these messages written on sticky notes, so you can paste them right at the entrance of your healthcare centre. Imagine the happy smiles on your colleagues’ faces when they read these messages! This is quite an easy doctors day celebration idea that you can bring to fruition in a few days.
3. Get Your Patients To Create Videos
Similar to messages, but this is a more personalised way to thank doctors. Assign a staff of your healthcare centre to make videos of patients appreciating doctors, or the facilities available to them, anything that is a mood-lifter for the doctor’s fraternity. The videos can be played on the TV on Doctor’s Day to put a smile on your colleagues’ faces. This will surely make their day!
National Doctor’s Day isn’t such a widely celebrated one, but it should become so because of the huge contributions of doctors who make it possible for us to lead healthy lives. It is a way to acknowledge the contributions they make towards humanity. So, make sure that you appreciate them for treating you efficiently to motivate them and become even better at what they do.
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