The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has decided to ban private practise by government doctors in the State.
The Cabinet has entrusted the medical and health department officials to prepare guidelines and prepare a road map for the same, according to Information and Public Relations (I&PR) Minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani).
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy chaired the Cabinet meeting at a Secretariat on Thursday.
Disclosing the details, Mr. Nani said that the State government got feedback from the public that the services in government hospitals could be improved further if the private practise by the doctors was curtailed.
It was noticed that the doctors doing practise were close to the government hospitals and working in private hospitals, which was not acceptable under any circumstances. The government in the notification for filling up vacancies clearly mentioned about the salary and other perks. The doctors, who were competing for government jobs, were aware of the paychecks in the private sector. They were not expected to compare after joining the government service. The government expected them to work as per the requirements, he said.
The government intended to make the government medical and healthcare more acceptable. A step in that direction was a ban on private practise, Mr. Nani said, adding, “We are hopeful that we would be able to convince the doctors.”
Land for hospitals
Explaining further, Mr. Nani said that the Cabinet had approved allotment of lands to the hospitals for strengthening the health sector. Five acres of land was allocated for a hospital with all modern facilities at Kallur village in Kurnool. A super speciality/multi speciality hospital in Kakinada Urban would come up in five acres. Similarly, 4.5 acres was allocatted in Vizianagaram under Health Hub through APIIC. Another four acres was allotted in Anantapur and 4.32 acre in Srikakulam, he said.
