AGARTALA, July 11 (TIWN): Being leashed by High Court, Tripura Government has finally imposed restriction on private practises by Tripura Government doctors. The HC earlier this year in its interim order had issued restrictions on the private practice of government doctors.

Director of state health and family welfare department J. K. Debbarma on Friday said that the government had put restriction on private practises by government doctors.

However a move has come up after with the HC’s hearing the suo moto case earlier this year, which had passed an interim order to ban private practises.

Several allegations were raised against the government doctors here for spending days and nights in their private chambers inspite of visiting the hospitals.

The court said that they would not be allowed private practice at chambers for more than three hours on weekdays when they perform duties in hospitals or government-run health centres. On holidays, the government doctors will be allowed to practise for a maximum of six hours.

Besides, a doctor cannot charge more than Rs 200 from a patient on the first day and then not more than Rs 100 on each subsequent days.

 No doctor would be allowed to set up a chamber in any private nursing home, pharmacy, pathology centre or diagnostic centre for private practice.

Private practice by doctors is the root cause of deterioration of tertiary care hospitals. According to the health experts, the menace of private practice has eaten away premier institutions and has buried the very purpose of research and teaching in this state.

If a doctor entertains huge number of patients in morning and evening at his/her private clinic, with tired mind what justice he can deliver to patients at hospitals, experts say.

However, private practice is the biggest obstacle in growth of private health sector and blocks employment avenues to young and fresh minds.

The dual practice of government doctors is an uncomfortable situation for them as well as for society at large.