Ban repeated but the doctors of SKIMS continued to go for private practice

By: Musaib Iqbal MK

Srinagar

The government has repeated and reiterated their ban on the private practice of doctors and paramedical staff from SKIMS but the fact remains that most of them are doing the private practice and have devised new methods to get their patients inside the institute for the procedures.

Most of the senior doctors go for the private practice during the morning and evening hours and even refer these private patients to the institute for many tests over the crowd which goes daily to the hospital for such tests.

While the common people are forced to go in private for the tests as most of the expensive tests are not done immediately and the staff of SKIMS tells them to wait for such tests. With the result these patients go in private while those private patients who go to their homes and private clinics and pay their fee get these tests done within the institute.

The latest from the government is that if the medical and paramedical staff of SKIMS still indulge in private practice it would be treated as misconduct.

It warned of penalties and criminal proceedings against the delinquent.

“Law and prudence demand that no faculty members, paramedical staff, and resident doctors of SKIMS would resort to private practice irrespective of whether she/he is granted Non Practicing Allowance (NPA) or not,” the fresh government order said.

In case any member of medical or paramedical staff of the SKMS is proved to have acted in breach of the rule, it shall amount to misconduct attracting major penalty, besides the person shall be liable for criminal proceedings under relevant provisions of the law, the order further said.