Punjab Govt. doctors under radar over private practice

A non-practice allowance(NPA) is a special allowance given to doctors employed by the central government (of India) and certain state governments. A medical officer who refrains from private practice can ask for such allowance.

Many of these doctors are continuing their private practice from their residence, though authorities have warned them time and again not to indulge in private practice as they are already accepting NPA from the government. As per a recent media report by The Tribune, doctors from different departments including medicine, orthopedics, skin, surgery, and gynecology were running their own consultancy services at their houses during evening hours.

While some of the doctors have used non-identical clinic names to offer private consultation, some have even advertised their clinics by putting up signboards. According to the daily, even one of the department heads of Rajindra Hospital started a make-shift clinic at her residence and was prescribing medicines on a white plain slip. Many doctors at the hospital not only indulged in private practice but also performed surgeries at private hospitals in the city.

Some doctors are acting as on-call consultants in many private clinics; hence, their names are never mentioned in the patient's file. Explaining the condition, a doctor of the hospital, on the condition of anonymity, told the daily: "Our seniors, who get a monthly salary of around Rs2.5 lakh, are being paid to wholeheartedly treat poor patients. However, their commitment and sincerity are more toward private practice. In hospitals, these doctors have only three days OPDs a week, but treat patients at private clinics every day."

Dr. Harjinder Singh, director principal, Government Medical College, and Rajindra Hospital addressed the issue of the doctors indulging in private practice and stated, "It was very unfortunate. We will be taking an action soon."