A new government regulation that prohibits doctors from government medical colleges from working in private hospitals has caused at least 30 doctors in Chhattisgarh to resign. Affidavits certifying that no government physicians, either contract or permanent, are employed by private hospitals as visiting specialists or on-call are required by the policy. Doctors are still permitted to consult patients in their homes, but they are not permitted to operate private clinics or go to private hospitals. A number of doctors at Raipur’s DKS Hospital are planning to retire as a result of the policy, which was created to combat conflicts of interest.
The already overburdened healthcare system in Chhattisgarh faces a serious challenge as a result of this mass resignation. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reported in 2016–2022 that the state is experiencing a 33% shortage of physicians. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) took notice of the situation and wrote to the state administration to request that the new regulation be reviewed. The IMA has pointed out that there are still a lot of open medical positions and that the prohibition on private practice has to be reexamined in view of the possible long-term effects on healthcare delivery.
Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, the state’s health minister, has acknowledged the concerns raised by the problem. Jaiswal called the contentious clauses “old” and stated that the administration was negotiating a solution with medical professionals. He acknowledged that widespread resignations would exacerbate the state’s physician shortage and promised that a major decision to address the issue would be taken shortly.
Physicians are demanding that their working conditions be more flexible. In order to practice privately outside of their official working hours, they have asked the government to provide them the choice to give up their Non-Practice Allowance (NPA) on an annual basis. The IMA has underlined that home-based consultations are no longer sufficient due to the improvement of medical treatment, and that physicians must be allowed to work in hospitals in order to preserve their abilities and generate extra revenue.
Conditions are difficult for contract doctors in particular. Many get pitiful wages with few perks, little leave, and no housing allowance. If they want to practice privately, their pay will also be withheld. Since their contracts are up for renewal every year, they could be fired at any time. Due to the general discontent caused by this circumstance, physicians are pleading with the state to change its regulations in order to allay their worries and grant them unrestricted practice in private hospitals.
SOURCE :
TIMES OF INDIA
