Government Doctors Flout Private Practice Norms, Run Clinics Beyond Home Premises

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Despite rules restricting private practice by government doctors, several doctors posted at government hospitals and medical colleges in Bhopal are allegedly running private clinics and hospitals.

Under the norms, only certain categories of government doctors are permitted private practice, limited to providing consultancy from their residence.

They are not permitted to run private clinics from other premises or work in private hospitals.

A Free Press investigation found that more than a dozen clinics and hospitals linked to government doctors are operating across the city.

The issue has come into focus after Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla, following the death of a pregnant woman and her unborn child at a government hospital in Rewa, directed doctors to give their full time to government institutions and patients.

He said private practice should not affect services at government hospitals, otherwise action will be taken.

At a recent meeting with senior health department officials and heads of medical colleges, Shukla also said the responsibilities of medical college doctors were not limited to OPDs.

They were required to remain involved in operation theatres, regular rounds, classes and training of PG students.

Clinic outside home

Dr Lokendra Dave, professor and head of pulmonary medicine at Gandhi Medical College and Hamidia Hospital, operates a clinic at Shahpura Sector-C.

When contacted, Dave said the premises were rented and the clinic was registered.

He said doctors could not practically operate clinics from their homes because of space constraints and the risk of infection, and that the government should reconsider the rule.

Dr Anurag Tiwari, an orthopaedic surgeon and professor at Gandhi Medical College, operates a private clinic at Jawahar Chowk.

When contacted, Tiwari said he attends the clinic after his government duty hours and said that the premises are not his residence.

A private clinic at Jawahar Chowk is also associated with Dr Ajay Jain, a medical officer at Hamidia Hospital.

The receptionist at the clinic said the clinic belongs to a woman doctor and that Jain visits in the evening. As per the norms, medical officers are strictly prohibited from private practice.

Dr Vijan Rai, consultant at Hamidia Hospital, and Dr Jaya Rai, consultant in gynaecology and obstetrics, are associated with a GI clinic and endoscopy facility at Jawahar Chowk.

Its listed timings are 9 am to 3 pm and 6 pm to 8 pm. The morning timing overlaps with regular government working hours, raising questions about compliance with the requirement that private practice must not interfere with official duty.

What rules say

Government records and court proceedings show that private practice is subject to specific restrictions in MP.

It specifically stated that doctors could not go to nursing homes or private clinics for such practice. Doctors performing administrative duties remained barred from private practice and were entitled to a non-practising allowance.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court, in its May 2024 order, further clarified that the relaxation applied to doctors of the Public Health and Family Welfare Department and not to doctors working in medical colleges and other government medical institutions, where the ban continued.

The rules said that permitted private practice is to be carried out from the doctor's residence rather than a registered private clinic or nursing home.

GMC had flagged issue earlier

The issue of government doctors working in private hospitals had also come under scrutiny at Gandhi Medical College earlier this year.

The GMC administration had said professors were restricted from working in private hospitals, while a Hamidia Hospital superintendent told Free Press that government doctors could provide consultancy from home but not work in private hospitals.

Practice allowed only from residence: CMHO

CMHO Manish Sharma told Free Press that government doctors are allowed to practise after their duty hours, but only from their own residence and not from other premises or rented accommodation. He said action would be taken if any doctor is found violating the rules.