Serious reservations: Senior doctors flay govt’s move to ban private practice

Say the decision will not bring any change in the health system.

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government’s announcement to ban private practices of registrars and senior registrars of government-run hospitals has irked doctors, who claim the move will not have a positive impact on the ailing health system.

In order to treat the maximum numbers of patients for a minimal fee, the K-P Health Department plans to introduce double shifts at public hospitals. This will make it difficult for most of the doctors to run their private clinics.

“The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has no restrictions on the private practice of any doctor. However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government has taken a one-sided decision,” said a senior doctor requesting anonymity.

He questioned why only registrars and senior registrars were being subjected to the ban. “The supreme authority responsible for issuing registrations to doctors across the country clearly gives permission to doctors to run a private practice in any medical field. If the government intends to end the culture of private practice, it should apply the decision to professors and associate professors too,” he said.

“Banning only two kinds of specialties is an injustice. There are many senior doctors who come to the hospital once a week and spend every other day in their clinics, but they are not under this ban,” he lamented.

Provincial Doctors Association Chairperson Dr Shah Sawar said since the fraternity of doctors was not taken on board while taking this decision, there is serious unrest. He added doctors will also inform the government about their reservations.

“We are going to hold a meeting of senior doctors on Monday to chalk out a strategy because many decisions are taken by the health department regarding our future, but we are not informed about them,” he said.

A senior registrar speculated the government’s move will not bring any change in the health system. “The government must first announce incentives for involved parties and then take the step they want to improve the system,” he said.

PMDC Spokesperson Jumma Mandokhel said the council’s rules do not ban private practice of any doctor after they have finished their duty in a hospital or college in the mornings. The council, in fact, instructs doctors their private practice must not interfere with their duty.

“If a doctor gets registered with us and keeps the registration documents in his clinic, we have no qualms with their practice,” said Mandokhel. He added there was already a lack of doctors, and if a ban is imposed on their private practice, a huge number of patients will be affected.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2013.