National Doctors' Day

The National Doctors' Day is a day celebrated to recognize the contributions of physicians to individual lives and communities. The date may vary from nation to nation depending on the event of commemoration used to mark the day. In some nations the day is marked as a holiday. Although supposed to be celebrated by patients in and benefactors of the healthcare industry it is usually celebrated by health care organizations. Staff may organize a lunch for doctors to present the physicians with tokens of recognition. Historically, a card or red carnation may be sent to physicians and their spouses, along with a flower being placed on the graves of deceased physicians.

Celebrating nations

Cuba

In Cuba, National Doctors' Day is celebrated as a holiday on December 3 to commemorate the birthday of Carlos Juan Finlay. Carlos J. Finlay (December 3, 1833 – August 6, 1915) was a Cuban physician and scientist recognized as a pioneer in yellow fever research.[1] He was the first to theorize, in 1881, that a mosquito was a carrier, now known as a disease vector, of the organism causing yellow fever: a mosquito that bites a victim of the disease could subsequently bite and thereby infect a healthy person. A year later Finlay identified a mosquito of the genus Aedes as the organism transmitting yellow fever. His theory was followed by the recommendation to control the mosquito population as a way to control the spread of the sickness.

India

In India the National Doctors' Day is celebrated on July 1 all across India to honour the legendary physician and the second Chief Minister of West Bengal, Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy.[2] He was born on July 1, 1882 and died on the same date in 1962, aged 80 years.[3] Dr Roy was honoured with the country's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna on February 4, 1961. The celebration of the Doctors' Day is an attempt to emphasise on the value of doctors in our lives and to offer them our respects by commemorating one of their greatest representatives.[4] India has shown remarkable improvements in the medical field and July 1 pays a perfect tribute to all the doctors who have made relentless efforts towards achieving this goal irrespective of the odds. However, with the increase in the rise of attacks on doctors the day is no longer a cheering day for doctors.[5]

Iran

In Iran, Avicenna's birthday (Iranian Month:Shahrivar 1st=August 23) is commemorated as the national day for doctors.[6][7]

United States

In the United States, National Doctors' Day is a day on which the service of physicians to the nation is recognized annually. The idea came from Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond, and the date chosen was the anniversary of the first use of general anesthesia in surgery. On March 30, 1842, in Jefferson, Georgia, Dr. Crawford Long used ether to anesthetize a patient, James Venable, and painlessly excised a tumor from his neck.[8]

Vietnam

Vietnam founded Doctor's Day on February 28, 1955. The day is celebrated on February 27 or sometimes dates closest to this date.[9]

History

The first Doctors’ Day observance was March 30th, 1933, in Winder, Georgia. This first observance included the mailing of cards to the physicians and their wives, flowers placed on graves of deceased doctors, including Dr. Long, and a formal dinner in the home of Dr. and Mrs. William T. Randolph. After the Barrow County Alliance adopted Mrs. Almond's resolution to pay tribute to the doctors, the plan was presented to the Georgia State Medical Alliance in 1933 by Mrs. E. R. Harris of Winder, president of the Barrow County Alliance.[10] On May 10, 1934, the resolution was adopted at the annual state meeting in Augusta, Georgia. The resolution was introduced to the Women's Alliance of the Southern Medical Association at its 29th annual meeting held in St. Louis, Missouri, November 19-22, 1935, by the Alliance president, Mrs. J. Bonar White. Since then, Doctors' Day has become an integral part of and synonymous with, the Southern Medical Association Alliance. Through the years, the red carnation has been used as the symbol of Doctors' Day.[11]

The United States Senate and House of Representatives passed S.J. RES. #366 during the 101st United States Congress, which President Bush signed on October 30, 1990 (creating Public Law 101-473), designating Doctors' Day as a national holiday to be celebrated on March 30.[12][13]

Dr. Marion Mass along with Dr. Kimberly Jackson and Dr. Christina Lang applied to officially have physicians day changed to physicians week. This was accepted in March 2017.

References

  1. ↑ "The United States Army Yellow Fever Commission Headed by Walter Reed - U.S. Army Yellow Fever Commission". U.S. Army Yellow Fever Commission. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  2. ↑ "National Doctors' Day: Here's what you should know about Dr BC Roy". Firstpost. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  3. ↑ Kalra, Dr. R. N. (3 July 2011). "A doctor par excellence". The Hindu.
  4. ↑ "Doctors' Day: What is it? Here's why IMA's advisory to its members for healthy living makes sense". Zee News. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  5. ↑ Paul, Raina (1 July 2017). "Little to cheer on Doctor's Day, say medical professionals". Deccan Herald. DH News Service. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  6. ↑ "Iran commemorates Natˈl Doctors Day on Avicenna’s birth anniv.". Islamic Republic News Agency - IRNA. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  7. ↑ "Iran marks National Doctors Day to commemorate Avicenna". Mehr News Agency (MNA). 23 August 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  8. ↑ "An Account of the First Use of Sulphuric Ether by Inhalation... : Survey of Anesthesiology". LWW.
  9. ↑ http://news.duytan.edu.vn/NewsDetail.aspx?id=2041&pid=2039&lang=en-US DTU Celebrates the 57th Anniversary of Vietnam Doctors’ Day
  10. ↑ "History of Doctors’ Day". Hallmark Ideas & Inspiration. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  11. ↑ "National Doctors' Day - Southern Medical Association". Southern Medical Association (SMA). Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  12. ↑ DoctorsDay.org retrieved 1 July 2014
  13. ↑ "S.J.Res.366 - A joint resolution to designate March 30, 1991, as "National Doctors Day".".
Sources

External resources

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