Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Brajesh Pathak on Friday, 25 September 2026, appealed to doctors across the state to write medicine and test names in Hindi or Devanagari script on prescriptions, arguing that patients deserve to understand exactly what is being prescribed to them. Speaking in Lucknow, Pathak also urged the medical community to communicate with patients in their mother tongue and local dialects to make treatment advice more accessible.

The Core Appeal

Pathak framed the appeal in both official and personal terms, stating he was making the request not only in his capacity as Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister but also, in his own words, as 'a Hindi-loving Indian.' He added that at a personal level he would give preference to medicines whose names were written in Hindi.

The appeal specifically called on doctors to use Bhojpuri, Awadhi, and other regional mother tongues wherever possible when interacting with patients. Pathak argued that patients would be better placed to follow medical advice and develop greater confidence in the healthcare system when it spoke their language.

Why It Matters for Healthcare Delivery

Pathak contended that treatment is not limited to medicines alone — a patient's understanding of and trust in the doctor are equally important components of care. He stressed that clear communication in a familiar language could help patients better comprehend their prescriptions, recommended tests, and overall treatment plans, reducing the risk of non-compliance or misunderstanding.

He said increasing the use of local and folk languages in the medical system would also strengthen the trust between patients and doctors, a factor that healthcare researchers frequently cite as central to treatment outcomes. This comes amid broader national discussions on making healthcare communication more accessible by integrating Indian languages alongside standard medical terminology.

Ideological and Political Context

Pathak invoked the philosophy of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay in making his case for Indian languages, suggesting that occasions such as birth anniversaries of national leaders and thinkers should inspire a renewed resolve to use Hindi and other indigenous languages more extensively.

He also cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an example, noting that the Prime Minister consistently communicates in Hindi and other Indian languages even during visits abroad. Pathak urged doctors to draw inspiration from national leaders and champion indigenous languages in the medical field.

Notably, the Deputy Chief Minister linked language policy to democratic values, arguing that democracy was strengthened by public language and public sentiment, and that greater use of Hindi and regional languages would contribute to national unity.

What the Medical Community Is Being Asked to Do

In practical terms, Pathak asked doctors to make Hindi and local languages a regular and ongoing part of their clinical practice rather than a one-off gesture. He said this would help reduce the persistent communication gap between medical services and ordinary patients — a gap that is especially acute in rural and semi-urban Uttar Pradesh, where literacy in English or technical terminology remains limited.

Whether the appeal translates into formal policy guidance from the state health department remains to be seen, and no regulatory mandate was announced alongside the statement.