Reacting to the reports of private practice ban bring in the offing in J&K, the government Thursday said that no proposal or plan to ban doctors working in the government sector from working in private sector was under consideration at present.
Additional Chief Secretary J&K Government, Vivek Bhardwaj told Greater Kashmir that the government was not mulling to ban private practice of government sector doctors in J&K. “We have not received any such plan, proposal or suggestion,” he said.
Bhardwaj said that the government “doesn’t work on impulse” and a ban or permission on a certain activity is a result of “well discussed and thought of strategy”.
He said many of the private practitioners in J&K were also working with the government sector and he was not aware of any step that was in the offing to stop this.
“It is news to me,” he said while reacting to media reports about a ban in offing.
While speaking about the private sector, he said, J&K requires both the government and private sector healthcare institutes.
He said the government had increased the number of empanelled private hospitals where patients could avail benefits of Ayushman Bharat scheme. “Our ultimate aim is to give patients better healthcare facilities and reduce out-of-pocket expenses. The Golden Cards issued by the J&K Government can be availed in both private sector and Government sector,” he said.
Bharadwaj said one sector could only was not possible and the J&K Government provided “positive atmosphere” to private healthcare providers and “welcomed private investment” in the sector.
In 2016, J&K government had issued a fresh ban on private practice by heads of the departments of GMC Srinagar, GMC Jammu and Dental Colleges in J&K.
The order had directed principals of these colleges to ensure compliance to the order and stated that it would be closely monitoring private practice.
It had also warned that that government must not be compelled to proceed against any doctor in this regards.
Private practice by doctors working in SKIMS Soura is banned.
However, private practice by doctors working in SKIMS Medical College Hospital Bemina is permitted.
Doctors working under the Directorate of Health in Jammu and Kashmir divisions is also permitted.