Government warns doctors from indulging in private practice during duty hours

Srinagar, Dec 24: In order to address malpractices in the public healthcare system and improve presence and service of medical staff in peripheries, the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) today issued a strict note to enforce a longstanding prohibition on private practice by government doctors during official duty hours.

The circular, issued today by Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Jahangir Bakshi, directed at Chief Medical Officers, Medical Superintendents, and Block Medical Officers across the Kashmir Division to ensure strict adherence to government order no. 612-JK (HME) of 2022, which explicitly prohibits medical practitioners from engaging in private practice while on duty or on roster at government healthcare facilities.

The directive underscores concerns that such practices “not only breach the Civil Services Conduct Rules but also compromise the ethical obligations of public servants” tasked with delivering healthcare to the population. The DHSK has reiterated its position that indulging in private practice during duty hours undermines the very purpose of these appointments, weakens the public healthcare system, and results in the diversion of patients from government hospitals to private clinics. This, in turn, causes significant financial losses to critical government healthcare schemes such as Ayushman Bharat and SEHAT, which are designed to provide free and equitable medical services to the public.

In addition to the diversion of patients, it was noted that many government doctors were frequently absent from their official postings, particularly in emergencies, because they were engaged in private practice in other cities or towns.

This absenteeism left patients in dire need without adequate medical care, further weakening the region’s public healthcare system. “Also, certain doctors are recommending medical interventions in their private clinics instead of attending the same in the hospitals where they are posted,” the circular reads. The government’s concerns were amplified by the realisation that such practices also contribute to inefficiencies within government hospitals, causing frustration among patients and an overall decline in service quality.

The issue has been a matter of concern since the original order was issued in 2022 by the Principal Secretary to the Government of Jammu and Kashmir. That order had identified multiple violations by doctors who, instead of attending to patients in government health institutions, were observed recommending medical interventions at their private clinics. Such behavior, according to the circular, not only eroded the trust in government-run facilities but it also contravened the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The Directorate has now instructed the administrators of hospitals and CMOs/BMOs to not only monitor the conduct of medical practitioners rigorously but also submit monthly compliance reports. Any violation of these directives is to be met with strict disciplinary action, including recommendations for regulatory scrutiny, the circular said. The latest order extends beyond doctors to include paramedical staff who may also be indulging in similar malpractices.