Telangana Government bans private practice by new doctors

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Tuesday issued orders imposing a ban on the private practice by the government doctors. This would be applicable to the newly-recruited doctors and those who shift from teaching to non-teaching wings. The government issued orders making amendments to the Telangana Medical Education Services Rules bringing in total ban on the private practice by the doctors.

According to sources, the government has taken notice of the absence of the doctors from their duties, leading to the suffering of the patients. A senior official said that though the government doctors should be present in the hospital, in most cases the doctors leave the hospital after a few hours of service. Similarly, the doctors in the primary health centres in rural areas do not bother to visit them at least for three days in a week.

The government would soon issue a notification to fill over 10,000 vacant posts in the health department. The first phase of recruitment would start with the Telangana Medical and Health Services Recruitment Board notifying over 1,300 doctors' posts. The government would be giving 20 per cent weightage to the doctors who extended their services during the Covid pandemic. Director of Medical Education (DME) E Ramesh Reddy said that the government has amended the Medical Education Service Rules. The doctors who have worked as senior residents would now be eligible to be appointed as assistant professors. The new rules would be applicable to newly recruited and those getting transferred from non-teaching to teaching departments.

There is no scope to have consultation practice, nursing homes and running a hospital. These rules would be applicable from Tuesday, said Ramesh Reddy.

He denied that there was a shortage of medicines. "There are enough stocks in the government hospitals. Some doctors are writing those medicines for which they already have indent. The Superintendent has been given funds and if there is any need they can write to their higher authorities," he said.

Replying to a question, he said that the government had not suspended anyone; it was an attempt to defame the government. The aim of the government is to provide better services to the people of the state, he added. Meanwhile, a strong resentment was seen among the doctors on this new rule. A doctor said that there were many opportunities with the best salaries in other countries with minimum stress. All those who have done MBBS and PG will now think about going abroad.