Volume 4 – Year 25
In a surprising turn of events, the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS) Ministry of Health (MoH) is grappling with a critical shortage of surgeons despite record-breaking profits. Last year, the MoH made headlines by offering free healthcare to its employees, leading to a surge in cybernetic enhancements. However, the strain on medical teams has reached a breaking point.
The MoH’s decision to provide free healthcare to its employees resulted in a boom in cybernetic enhancements. From limb replacements to neural implants, citizens flocked to MoH facilities for cutting-edge upgrades. Profits soared, with the MoH selling nearly 50,000 medical supplies to the general public, raking in a staggering 475 million credits in profit within a single month. Per one report, more cybertnetic enhancements have been installed in the past year than the last 10 years combined.
Behind the scenes, the situation is dire. Surgeons are working tirelessly to meet the overwhelming demand. Unfortunately, fatigue has led to some unintended consequences. Reports indicate that extra appendages have been mistakenly removed during procedures, leaving patients bewildered and limbless. One unnamed MoH Minister even took personal control of a medical complex, pushing resident surgeons to work double shifts, well over the duty hour restrictions, in unsanitary conditions to meet demand.
Desperate for solutions, some experts propose deploying droid surgeons to alleviate the burden on organic physicians. These advanced robotic assistants could perform routine procedures, allowing human surgeons to focus on complex cases. However, traditionalists argue that nothing can replace the precision and empathy of a skilled human surgeon.
In a controversial move, some CIS citizens advocate for mandatory stimulant use among surgeons. They believe that pharmaceutical enhancements could help exhausted medical teams “power through” their grueling schedules. Meanwhile, the MoH remains tight-lipped, requesting additional time to respond. Sources suggest that the ministry is overwhelmed by the backlog of work and unable to formulate a coherent statement.
As the cybernetic revolution continues, the CIS faces a critical choice: embrace technological advancements while safeguarding its healthcare system or risk losing the very essence of compassionate medicine. Either way, the fate of countless lives hangs in the balance.