72-hour private practice ban: West Bengal order triggers massive doctor protests

In West Bengal, the health system is facing potential disruption due to a new directive restricting private practice for doctors and faculty at government medical institutions. The West Bengal Health and Family Welfare Department has issued an order that bars these healthcare professionals from engaging in private practice for a 72-hour period following designated patient admission days.

This restriction, which is mandated for the entirety of each admission cycle, aims to prioritize patient care by ensuring closer and more intense monitoring by faculty and doctors on admission days and for an additional 48 hours.

The order draws on existing service regulations to safeguard the public's health interest. It stipulates that all faculty and doctors must refrain from private practice on the admission day and for two further days. However, this policy has sparked fierce opposition from medical associations. The Association of Health Service Doctors, West Bengal (AHSDWB) has condemned the order as draconian and ill-conceived, arguing that it lacks foresight and legal sustainability.

The association's statement, signed by Dr Utpal Bandyopadhyay, highlights structural flaws in the mandate, noting that clinicians working two weeks with admission days will effectively face a blanket ban on private practice.

Leading the opposition, the AHSDWB has outlined their demands, including the immediate opening of the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) to allow doctors to choose their constitutional right to practice. They argue that coercing doctors to return the Non-Practicing Pay (NPP) option is unacceptable. The protest, organized by the AHSDWB, is a united stand against the unjust rules, emphasizing the need to protect the doctor-patient relationship and medical services.

The association warns that if the government maintains its position, doctors will be forced to withdraw their right to practice, which they firmly reject.

While some acknowledge the intent behind the directive, practical operational hurdles remain unaddressed. Dr Rajiv Pandey, secretary of the Association of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes, acknowledges the potential of the policy to strengthen the government healthcare system. However, he emphasizes the need for improvements in facilities for government doctors, including salary parity with central government employees, better living conditions, and transport arrangements.

Additionally, he points out the challenges faced by doctors who have admission days twice a week and those who do not have admission days at all, such as radiologists, dermatologists, and anaesthetists. Clarification on these points is deemed necessary to ensure the policy's effective implementation.