Bihar govt doctors oppose private practice ban, demand non-practice allowance
Patna: Following the Bihar government's proposed ban on private practice, government doctors under the banner of the Bihar Health Services Association (BHSA) have strongly opposed the move, arguing that such a policy should not be implemented until long-standing systemic deficiencies in public healthcare institutions are first addressed.
After a meeting held at the Indian Medical Association (IMA) hall, BHSA leaders maintained that a blanket prohibition on private practice would be neither fair nor workable in the absence of adequate infrastructure, functional medical equipment, and sufficient human resources across government hospitals. The association stressed that improvements in working conditions, staffing levels of doctors, nurses and paramedical personnel, and meaningful professional incentives were prerequisites for any such reform.
According to Hindustan Times, BHSA spokesperson Dr Vinay Kumar said that private practice could not be barred arbitrarily. He added that if the government planned to prohibit private practice in the future, it must ensure the provision of a reasonable non-practice allowance (NPA) or an alternative financial compensation framework to offset the income loss faced by doctors.
BHSA leaders warned that enforcing a ban without addressing ground realities could have unintended consequences for patient care, particularly for economically weaker sections. They cautioned that such a move could encourage dominance of large private multi-speciality hospitals, thereby limiting access to affordable healthcare. BHSA said it would oppose the proposal in the larger interest of patients and the public health system.
The association also resolved to formally submit its concerns and demands to the state health department.
Earlier, the Bihar health department on January 27 constituted a six-member committee to consult stakeholders on the proposed ban on private practice by government doctors, as well as incentives for those serving in remote and rural areas. The committee is headed by Dr Rekha Jha, Director-in-Chief (Nursing and Disease Control), Bihar Health Services.
The proposal is part of the fifth resolution—“accessible health-secure life”—under the state government’s flagship programme Saat Nischay-3 (Seven Resolves 3.0) for the 2025–2030 period. The policy framework envisions prohibiting private practice while simultaneously introducing a dedicated incentive structure aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery in underserved rural and remote regions.
Prominent BHSA office-bearers present at the meeting included president Dr KK Mani, general secretary Dr Rohit Kumar, finance secretary-cum-office secretary Dr Kumar Saurabh, and patron Dr Ranjit Kumar.
