Private Practice ban for new Govt docs approved in Telangana

Hyderabad: The newly recruited government doctors in Telangana are soon going to be banned from private practice as the Chief Minister of the State, K. Chandrasekhar Rao has given his nod for this rule.

Although the Government is considering on the possibility of revising the salary structure of the new doctors who will be barred from engaging in private practice, no decision has been taken about it yet.

Applicable only for the new recruits, this new condition declaring ban on private practice is expected to be notified within two weeks and it would be mentioned in recruitment rules for jobs in the State Health department, adds The Hindu.

However, the existing government doctors will be allowed to continue with their practice. Meanwhile, since around two months ago, the officials started gathering information on the practices and rules of private practice in other States and presented the same to the State Government.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that Telangana State Medical Health Department had decided to put a ban on private practice of the newly recruited doctors. It was decided that after making the necessary changes in the rules and introducing a new clause in the recruitment laws, the Government would release the notification for the appointment of more than 3,000 doctors in the State.

However, the doctors have started pointing out the huge disparity in the pay between doctors employed at government, private and central hospital. Referring to this disparity, the doctors employed at the government hospitals in Telangana had started demanding Non Practicing allowance (NPA) in exchange of not continuing their private practice.

Also Read: Telangana bans Private Practice, doctors demand Allowance

Earlier, back in 1983, the TDP government led by former Minister NT Rama Rao had considered a similar ban barring doctors from private practice. However, the doctors had resisted against the rule and ultimately during the first term of former Chief Minister of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, these restrictions had been relaxed.

While commenting on the 1983 ban on private practice a doctor told The Hindu, "District Medical and Health Officers used to impose fine of around ₹5,000 on a government doctor found practising privately. But some doctors did not stop private practice completely."

Once again, the Telangana Government has decided to bar doctors from private practice, and as per the latest media report by The Hans India, now the Chief Minister of the State, K. Chandrasekhar Rao has given his nod for banning private practice of the newly recruited doctors at the government health facilities. In fact, the daily further adds that the Government is considering to revise the salary structure of these doctors in order to compensate for the private practice. Accordingly, the salary and duty timings of government doctors might get revised like the doctors at NIMS.

However, as per The Hindu, while addressing the possibility of increasing the salary of the new recruits, a health department official informed that "No decision has been taken about it yet."

In fact, the officials of the Health Department informed the daily, that apart from their salaries, the Government doctors can also make money by performing medical procedures under Aarogyasri Health Scheme.

The Hans India adds that Telangana Government will fill up vacancies in 12,755 posts of medical staff including more than 10,000 vacancies of doctors, staff nurses, ANM posts. Except for the 3,000 vacancies in the posts of doctors, the applicants in all the other categories will have to appear for the written test.

Also Read: No more Private practice for Govt Doctors in Andhra Pradesh