Doctors in NMC hospitals violate norms, do private practice
| Date :21-Nov-2019 |
Principal Correspondent :
Doctors working in Government set-up are not supposed to do private practice. Maharashtra Government has long ago had started Non Practicing Allowance (NPA). According to the rule, doctors cannot have choice regarding NPA. It means they cannot say no to NPA and do private practice as well as stay with Government. But some doctors while working with Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) are doing private practice openly violating all the norms. In fact, two of the practitioners-- Dr Pravin Gantawar and Dr Shilu Chimurkar who run Colambia Hospital in Dhantoli have flouted the fire norms too. The limit of the fire No Objection Certificate issued to Colambia Hospital ended on April 3, 2016 and Fire department had taken action against the hospital in 2017.
The doctors who are on rolls of NMC and also run private hospitals include Dr Sangeeta Balkote (she runs Balkote Nursing and Maternity Home at Shrikrishna Nagar), Dr Praveen Gantawar and Dr Shilu Chimurkar (Colambia Hospital in Dhantoli), Dr Mangala Puri of Puri Hospital and Maternity Home at Narendra Nagar, Dr Sushma Khandagale of Women’s Care clinic at Omkar Nagar, Dr Rashmi Bhaisare of Dr Bhaisare Women’s Care Clinic at Omkar Nagar, Dr Narendra Bahirwar of Expert Pathology Lab at Adhyapak Nagar. As per rules these doctors while working with NMC hospitals cannot run private hospitals. They cannot run Sonography centre. Government rule issued on August 7, 2012 say doctors would get 35% of the basic salary as NPA.
The Government Resolution clearly states since the NPA is implemented the doctors cannot give any other option. These doctors are supposed to stay near their workplace. These doctors cannot run hospitals, OPD in their names. Some gynaecologists who have registered themselves under Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act cannot give services at two places. As per NMC there are eight doctors under PCPNDT still they are giving services outside.
According to sources most of these doctors even don’t attend their patients at NMC hospitals where they are posted. For example, there was a time when no deliveries were done at Indira Gandhi Hospital at Gandhi Nagar. It was Dr Parineeta Fuke, corporator who made NMC health department to swung into action and deliveries started.
It was during Shravan Hardikar as Municipal Commissioner a circular was issued in 2016 which had instructed health department to implement the rules immediately. Unfortunately it was not followed scrupulously. While talking to ‘The Hitavada’ Abhijeet Bangar, Municipal Commissioner said, he has no idea about it but he would get the details and take necessary action. In fact with Tata Trusts and All India Institute of Medical Sciences along with Public Health Department, NMC is trying to bring improvement. The support from private practitioners can add value to their services.