Agartala, Jun 26 (PTI) A forum of doctors has written to the Agartala hospital authorities, opposing the state government’s “unilateral” move to ban private practice by the faculty members and medical officers of the health facility.
The Superspeciality Doctors’ Forum, in a letter to Agartala Government Medical College & GB Pant Hospital medical superintendent Dr Bidhan Goswami, said banning private practice will “not improve healthcare standards” unless the underlying issues, such as manpower shortages and infrastructure gaps, are addressed.
The development came after Chief Minister Manik Saha justified the move that barred the faculty members and medical officers of the state’s premier healthcare institution from private practice.
“We, the superspecialist
doctors of AGMC & GBPH, strongly oppose this reform/order, in its present form as stated by a government representative in the media, formulated and brought forward without adequate consultation with the stakeholders directly involved in patient care,” the doctors’ forum said.
The association also said that many of its members joined the service when no such restriction on private practice existed.
“We chose our positions with that understanding in good faith. Changing these terms unilaterally, without consultation, undermines the basis on which we committed to this service and also our ongoing enhancement of super-speciality services in AGMC,” the letter signed by 14 doctors said.
“Banning private practice will not improve healthcare standards unless the underlying issues are addressed, such as manpower shortages, infrastructure gaps, ICU and OT limitations, support staff deficiencies, the lack of promotions and incentives,” it said.
Asking doctors to resign if they disagree is “demeaning and disrespectful to the profession”, the doctors’ forum said.
“Rather than a blanket order, an ‘opt-in not opt-out’ approach should be adopted, giving doctors a fair and dignified choice before implementation”, it stated.
Responding to the government’s decision, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Jitendra Chaudhury, on Friday said the government must adopt the ‘best possible way’ to improve healthcare services at the state’s premier medical college-cum-hospital.
“The healthcare services will suffer if senior doctors quit following the government’s strict move. No specialist doctors from outside the state will arrive here to treat the ailing people. The government must adopt the best possible path to improve the healthcare services without aggravating the medical professionals,” he said.
Former health minister and senior Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman slammed the government for imposing an “unrealistic” decision on the medical professionals.
“The government can’t take any decision in haste. If the move is implemented as the cabinet has already cleared the proposal, it will trouble the patients across the state. The government can’t force any professional to remain engaged in the office after an 8-hour work schedule. My suggestion is to relook at the move,” he told reporters on Thursday. PTI PS BDC
