‘Docs write prescriptions on plain papers to avoid trouble’
Srinagar | Mar 08: While the valley’s healthcare system frequently hits the newspaper headlines for all its bad reasons, the valley’s super specialty hospital, the tertiary care Sher-e-Kashmir Institute Medical Sciences (SKIMS) is suffering from several acute ailments.
The doctors at the prestigious institute are receiving the non-practicing allowances (NPA) from the state exchequer, but around 50 medicos in a brazen violation of government orders continue their private practice despite a government ban.
“Six HODs, 10 Professors are indulging in private practice in addition to Associate and Assistant Professors of the Institute,” official sources said.
“These medicos are being paid a hefty amount of Rs 20,000 to 22,000 NPA per month, but they continue the private practice which in turn affects the smooth functioning of the institute. Sometimes the shortage of doctors forces the patients to take to streets and create chaos in the hospital,” sources said.
It has been also learnt that these doctors write prescription on plain papers, which don’t carry their names and other details, and later see patients very early in the morning to avoid any trouble.
“These doctors at the time of joining have sworn in their affidavits that they accept all the SKIMS rules and will not indulge in practice which stands banned,” a junior doctor said.
There are also allegations that some doctors see patients at their private clinics and do their surgeries and tests at SKIMS on the priority basis while the common people are left fuming.
A top administrative official at SKIMS, pleading anonymity, said it impossible for them to stop somebody from the private practice, adding, “There are several agencies to look into it”.
“Those doctors who are receiving NPA can’t do private practice. But we don’t have any such methods to remain informed who is doing after or before the office hours,” he said.