Despite ban, govt docs indulge in pvt practice

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 12

On the one hand doctors at Government Rajindra Hospital are vehemently objecting to government’s proposal to abolish Non-Practice Allowance (NPA) while on the other hand some of them are seen to have been indulging in private practice, thereby, taking a double advantage.

It is pertinent to mention that medical teachers association and PCMS doctors had strongly opposed the move to withdraw the NPA.

Despite the ban on private practice by the state government some of the doctors are indulging in private practice.

Hoodwinking the authority by resorting to different methods such as instead of main gate entry letting in the patients via backdoor entries through touts or disguising themselves with different clinic names. In one such instance, a senior ortho doctor was seen attending the patients in the spouse’s clinic.

The said doctor does not use his name in the prescription slip but uses only the clinic name, supposedly, to save himself from any action. The doctor charges around Rs 300 from each patient as consultation fee.

Similarly, a senior doctor of Medicine Department was found indulged in private practice at his residence in the same area. The doctor has arranged a backdoor entry gate without any board outside his residence to treat patients. On a visit by The Tribune, it was found that a retired class four employee of the Rajindra Hospital was present to guide the patients into the residence of the doctor.

Another doctor, a gynecologist, has openly advertised herself at a website for appointments for private practice.

Health experts informed the majority of the doctors are doing private practice and authority concerned was also aware of it. According to sources some doctors do their private practice by attending the patients on call at private clinics or hospitals.

A senior doctor of Rajindra Hospital, who wished not be named, said, “Our fraternity gets a bad name because of the few doctors who are indulging in private practice despite being in a government set up. “

However, some of the experts have said that private practice by the government doctors is a new normal, it is very difficult to stop it.

Diwan Bhullar, general secretary, Punjab Medical and Dental Teachers’ Association (PMDTA), said, “We strongly oppose these practices by the doctors. It is against their service rules as they are getting the NPA.”

Meanwhile, DK Tiwari, principal secretary, Medical Education, said, “We will take action against all the complaints received as per the rules. We have recently chargesheeted one doctor in Amritsar while a doctor at Patiala is under examination.”