Tripura High Court Bans Private Practice for Government Doctors

The Tripura health department has issued a order following a high court ruling on May 29, 2015, saying that the government doctors should not indulge in private practice but concentrate on government hospitals only. The All Tripura Government Doctors' Association (ATGDA) and the Tripura chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) have opposed this ban and filed a review petition before the Tripura High Court. Earlier this week, a delegation of both the associations led by Dr. P.K. Paul met Health Secretary M. Nagaraju and pressed for withdrawal of the health department order banning private practice. Dr. Paul said, "The health secretary told us that the state government had passed the order based on the high court judgment and unless the court reconsiders the matter, the government can hardly do anything."

On Saturday, many patients who knocked on the private clinics of government doctors, were asked to go to hospitals. Bimal Roy, who was there with his ailing mother but most of the chambers of the doctors were closed, said, "Proper consultations with the doctors are not possible in the government hospitals due to a large number of patients in the hospitals. Besides, specialist doctors would not be available all the time."

Meanwhile, state Health Minister Badal Choudhury said, "The government would not allow the government doctors to continue with private practice in public interest."

Source-IANS