Doctors and faculty members of Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and GB Pant Hospital have temporarily resumed private practice as the Tripura government is yet to issue a detailed notification on its decision to ban private practice by doctors serving at the state’s premier referral hospital.
The state cabinet had earlier approved a blanket ban on private practice by doctors attached to AGMC and GB Pant Hospital, aiming to improve healthcare delivery and ensure greater availability of doctors in government facilities. However, despite the passage of nearly two weeks, the government has not issued a formal notification detailing how the decision will be implemented.
Following the cabinet decision, doctors had voluntarily suspended their private practice despite expressing concerns over the policy. In view of the delay in issuing the notification, the AGMC Teachers’ Forum, representing faculty members, convened an executive committee meeting and decided to allow doctors to resume consultations in their private clinics as an interim measure.
According to office-bearers of the forum, the temporary arrangement will enable doctors to continue treating long-term patients until the government issues the final order. They said doctors were given the option either to permanently discontinue private practice or continue until the notification is issued. While some have resumed practice, others have permanently shut their private clinics.
The doctors have also urged the government to undertake structural reforms before strictly enforcing the ban. Their demands include better salaries and allowances comparable to those offered by similar medical colleges, a transparent promotion policy for in-service doctors, and amendments to the Medical Education Service Rules.
Super-specialist doctors have also expressed reservations over the move. Following discussions with doctors’ associations, the Health Secretary assured them that their genuine concerns would be addressed in a time-bound manner.
Chief Minister Manik Saha has reiterated that the government remains committed to enforcing the ban, stating that the decision was based on recommendations made by an AIIMS team that visited Agartala under a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions.
The policy has drawn mixed reactions, with some questioning why the ban applies only to AGMC and GB Pant Hospital doctors while those posted in other government hospitals remain exempt. Meanwhile, patient footfall at GB Pant Hospital has reportedly increased following the suspension of private practice by many doctors.
