If Private Practice P is more to increase income, why not then allow it to all government employees
Jan Aushadi Store scheme has not been that ‘professionally’ supported even by Government doctors
DAYA SAGAR
Government doctors who do private practice do not handle emergencies and instead refer the serious patients to government hospitals / hospitals & above all as was even hinted about state of practicing government doctors by J&K Governor N .N. Vohra some government doctors who do private practice from 6:00 AM to 9:30 AM at clinic, then work in government hospital/ college from 10 AM to 4 PM and then again work in private clinic from 5 PM to 11 PM, imagine what justice they can do to teaching, attending to regular duty in hospital and attending to emergency calls from the government hospitals.
It is no hidden fact that the private practice by government doctors, otherwise allowed in the cause of a social gesture has on date alleged having shaped into “malaise,” is otherwise inflicting serious damage on the common man in the form of neglect of government hospitals, inflated prescriptions with additional / “high MRP” drugs and investigations. Yes the “Public men” do not suffer since they have many to serve and enough to “buy”.
No, doubt government has authority to make / modify service rules but no government in a democratic country is expected to ignore the basic principles and codes that are must for one who has to handle the common resources / provisions of the State.
The provision of the private practice by government doctors was created in relaxation of conduct rules for civil servants in the interest of social cause and was hence not bad .But objections against private practice by Government doctors had come because many of them had taken the provision as more for increasing the income This has lowered the goodwill of even those doctors who have all care for the society.
Not only this, under the garb of Private Practice ( for consultation only) , many practicing doctors these days (1) allegedly look for joining with laboratories / investigation centers and even prescribe un necessary tests (2) the doctors feel more interested in the drug manufacturers and some appear even working for defeating the public welfare programmes like Jan Aushadi Campaign (3) and the disproportionately high cost of appliances and supporting accessories too are prescribed by some doctors even where item could be avoided..
It was only after such like revelations that the then Pharma Advisory Forum GOI in its meeting held on 23rd April, 2008 under the Chairmanship of Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Steel decided to launch a Jan Aushadhi Campaign. Ram Vilas Paswan ventured emotionally and enthusiastically for the scheme of Jan Aushadi (Drug ) Store under Department of Pharmaceuticals GOI in 2008) and first such store to provide medicines to patients at truthful / genuine prices was opened on 25th 2008 in Amritsar ( 24×7 Jan Aushadhi Generic Drug Store, JBMM Civil Hospital, Amritsar Punjab ) to be backed up with adequate and timely supplies by the CPSUs ( PL, HAL, BPCL, KAPL & RDPL ).
Many people see even the failure of Jan Aushadi ( drug) Store in the doctors not feeling interested in prescribing by generic name / chemical name. What to talk of private practitioners even the Government doctors do not write prescriptions by generic name ( they write by brand name). In a way we would say that drug prescription that could cost Rs.100 is allegedly written atleast for R.500 in many cases under the garb of brand name. The turnover of Jan Aushadi scheme even 14 years after 2008 in 2022 can well support the opinion. MANY suffer loss in health and some even die without taking treatment for self.
If it is assessed that pay scales /wages of government doctors are less and the public exchequer can afford to pay more , let higher salary be paid to government doctors, but private enterprise or non practicing allowance do not appear logical under present circumstances to government doctors who too are civil servants. If PP is to to increase income why not then allow it to all government employees.
The post graduate doctors and those in the Medical Colleges should be given special grades no way less ( even more ) than superior bureaucrats but surely no PVT Practice and no NPA since it has been used by the doctors more to the disadvantage of the common man than to the advantage that was foreseen in this special gesture towards only Doctors and not towards other government servants..
No doubt , in case it is felt that in remote / distant / rural areas there is still a need to allow government doctors to see patients against monetary considerations before / after office hours then there, on case to case basis , government doctors could be permitted to do private practice and the payment received could be named as honorarium and not fee.
(The author is a social activist and Senior Columnist J&K affairs dayasagr45@yahoo.com).