The Hippocratic oath as the basis of ethics of medical practice is known by heart by doctors and every medical student. An excerpt from the oath reads: "I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever deleterious and mischievous... I will go into them for the benefit of the sick, and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption..."

Thus doctors, being a special breed of professionals, should always have one thing in mind: the benefit of their patients.

The point that I'm to trying to say is this: Lately, there have been a lot of statements either from Health Minister Chua Jui Meng and the government and the family of ex-deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim concerning his health and the treatment that he seeks for his ailments. I do not wish to go into the politics or the intricacies of the reasoning behind each side.

What puzzles me is, why should Anwar's health become a controversy at present? Being a final-year medical student who just came back from abroad to attend to my grandfather's funeral, I would think that the health of a patient is of paramount interest to doctors.

Our prime minister and wife are both doctors and notwithstanding that they have left medical practice for some time, surely the basics and ethics of the oath that they took years ago are still fresh in their minds as though it was yesterday that they graduated?

From the first day in medical school until today, our professors and tutors keep reminding us the importance of the well-being and care of the patients. When Dr Thomas Hoogland made certain remarks about the prevailing conditions of our hospitals which are not conducive for the operation to be done on Anwar, why can't we analyse ourselves and be honest about it? The fact that Hospital Kuala Lumpur is being renovated speaks for itself.

Dear Dr Mahathir, can you not once be a doctor again and see Anwar as your patient who deserves the treatment he should receive? Throw away the political attire that you have donned for many years now and simply put on the long white overalls that you once had. By doing so at least you will earn the respect that you really deserved as a doctor and a true holder of the Hippocratic oath.

As for Health Minister Chua, please give credit where it is due. Hoogland was one of our visiting consultants who was approached by even our dean for advice.