Doctors Who Hid Jinnah's TB Nominated for Pakistan Award
Pakistan has nominated two Parsi doctors who secretly treated Muhammad Ali Jinnah for tuberculosis for a civil award. The historic illness was kept concealed during the 1946 negotiations to prevent jeopardizing the creation of Pakistan.
The Pakistan government has officially nominated two Parsi physicians, Dr. L. Ratanji Patel and Dr. Jal Debu, for the prestigious 'Nishan-i-Quaid-i-Azam' civil award. This recognition brings to light a historical chapter involving the medical treatment of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the strict confidentiality maintained regarding his declining health during a critical political era.
Historical context reveals that in June 1946, Dr. L. Ratanji Patel and Dr. Jal Debu examined Muhammad Ali Jinnah's X-rays and discovered that his pulmonary tuberculosis had reached an extreme stage. Rather than making this diagnosis public, the medical professionals kept Jinnah's serious lung disease completely secret, a fact that remained concealed for decades.
Ahsan Iqbal emphasized the gravity of this concealment, stating that it was considered by many historians to be one of the most important and history-making secrets of the twentieth century. Iqbal further noted that if Jinnah's political opponents and the British rulers had discovered his illness, the partition of India might have been delayed and the creation of Pakistan could have been endangered.
Further observations by Akbar Ahmed highlighted that Jinnah's elegant clothing and distinguished personality successfully masked the truth that his physical health was far from robust. Ahmed also pointed out that starting in 1938, Jinnah began complaining of immense pressure on his nerves and physical strength, after which he frequently fell ill, though these health struggles were kept hidden from the public.
Reflecting on the treatment process, Dr. Patel recounted his medical interventions, stating that he advised Jinnah to use calcium vaccines, nourishing medicines, and short-wave diathermy. Dr. Patel also expressed dismay at a leak during the process, remarking that some fool had given the news to the newspaper. In response to the care provided, Muhammad Ali Jinnah reportedly stated that he should express his gratitude to the person who had served him so well.
