Blanket ban on doctors146; private practice

The ongoing unrest among the government doctors in the state has finally come to an end...

Non-Practising Allowance made mandatory for all medicos irrespective of seniority

The ongoing unrest among the government doctors in the state has finally come to an end, with the government putting a blanket ban on private practice and announcing mandatory Non Practising Allowance NPA for all doctors irrespective of length of service, in a resolution passed on Friday.

The 8,000-odd government doctors said the move was in greater public interest, especially for the people living in rural areas and smaller towns.

The decision proves to be a major setback to the state government, which was keen to oblige senior doctors, having more than 15 years of service, by giving them an option between NPA and private practice. It is also a blow to doctors who have been doing their government jobs unwillingly and pursuing private practice secretly by distributing visiting cards of their private clinics to the patients who come to government hospitals.

However, a large number of government doctors, especially in remote areas, are in a helpless situation, as they will neither get NPA nor do they have any private practice.

The government had cancelled the NPA in November 2006 and allowed all doctors to practice privately. As a result, a series of petitions were filed, which led to a stay order by the High Court in December, 2006. Later, the Heath Department passed a resolution, declaring that only doctors with over 15 years of service are eligible for NPA. The petitioners again challenged the decision and thus the High Court ordered the cancellation of the resolution. Since then, the petitioners had been demanding a government resolution for the continuation of NPA.

Indian Medical Association8217;s Gujarat Branch has welcomed the latest move. Its honorary general secretary, Dr Bipin Patel, said that this will ensure better medical services and induce doctors to stay on in government service.

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He said this will also reduce the degree of distraction among doctors, who would be able to pay undivided attention to patients being fully aware of the fact that they do not have a consulting room to go to and treat patients.

Dr Shailendra Vora, president of ESIC Class II Doctors Association, said: 8220;The old policy of allowing doctors to practice privately was full of flaws and was the principal reason behind the long queues outside operation theatres of government hospitals.8221;