MUHAMMAD MUKARAM
SRINAGAR: The government of Jammu and Kashmir is mulling to impose a blanket ban on private practice of all in-service doctors across the State. The decision in this regard will be taken after the opening of Civil Secretariat in Jammu.
After the STATE TIMES broke the news about private hospitals and doctors fleecing patients in the name of quality treatment, Health Minister Bali Bhagat, exclusively talking to STATE TIMES divulged that the government will tighten the noose on in-service doctors restraining them from doing private practice.
He said that the government has completed around 90 percent of work on the move and after the opening of offices in Jammu, State Health department will issue the circular banning private practice of doctors.
“In addition, we will also fix consultation fee for doctors who are not working in Government sector. Besides, private laboratories which are doing multiple tests will be banned if they will not follow the government rates which we will be issuing soon,” the Health Minister asserted adding that defaulter private nursing institutes and laboratories will be seized. “The government shall soon be framing a committee to ensure regular monitoring”, he said adding that private establishments in the field are fleecing the patients as the doctors are having nexus with private laboratories and private nursing institutes as they are working on commission basis thus forcing patients to do prescribed tests and surgeries at chosen laboratories and private nursing institutes. “This will not happen now,” Bali Bhagat assured.
“I also request the people that if any doctor insists to go for surgery at some particular private nursing institute, they should report the matter to government. I will terminate that doctor. Patients should also cooperate with us,” he said adding that those doctors charging big amount from gynae patients by forcing them to go for surgery at their chosen nursing institutes shall now have to face strict action. There is already a ban on private practices of doctors, who are working in SKIMS as they are getting Non Practice Allowances (NPA) from the government.
