Bihar: Taking cognizance of the fact that some of the doctors of Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) are allegedly claiming non-practising allowance despite continuing private practice, the institute authorities have now decided to hire private detectives to investigate such cases. A board of governors of the institute headed by Health Minister Mangal Pandey has approved a proposal recently.
The Non-Practising Allowance (NPA) is a special kind of allowance for medical professionals occupying the posts in medical services. It is a percentage based allowance. However, still, illegally, many doctors claim NPA but at the same time, they continue practising privately. So to curtail this menace, the IGIMS administration has decided to action strict action.
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The proposal suggested that the detectives should be hired to see if the doctors of the institute are continuing their private practice illegally. The authorities have also given strict warning to the doctors that if any doctor is found guilty they will be immediately terminated.
The authorities have found that there have been several allegations which suggested that a significant portion of the faculty members, almost 300 members out of the 500 doctors of the institute are also continuing their private practice; however, despite continuing the practice, they are illegally availing non-practising allowance which is 20% of their basic salary. There have also been some allegations that the doctors are in fact referring patients to private healthcare facilities from the institution.
Dr Nihar Ranjan Biswas, Director of the IGIMS told Hindustan Times, "It is an open secret that some of our doctors are into private practice, which they are not supposed to. We want to put an end to this practice by taking stern action against those who indulge in it. This is a step in that direction. We need support from the government to enforce it so that the institute can develop as a medical centre of excellence in the state."
Dr. Biswas has stated that they have built their reputation by their constant effort and dedication over the last few years and now the authorities are trying to consolidate it. They received 10-20 applications against any position that they , hence, the institute is not prepared to be blackmailed any more. " We will terminate the services of those indulging in private practice," added Dr. Biswas.
According to the daily, in 2014, the authorities of the institute were about to take some strict disciplinary action against such doctors when almost most six doctors out of 29 were caught red-handed by the flying squad of the institute. Though the Principal Secretary of Health at the time assured that authorities would take serious action against the accused doctors, the doctors were influential and succeed in getting away only with a warning. Two senior professors of IGIMS, one urologist another gastroenterologist took voluntary retirement in 2014 and 2017 respectively after authorities found some evidence and confronted them about private practice.
The Bihar government had put a ban on private practice across its facilities and paid NPA to its doctors for a limited period of 11 months between March 1, 2000 and February 2001 before withdrawing it.