The Allahabad High Court, expressing concerns over government doctors neglecting their duties at medical colleges and state hospitals, has instructed the Uttar Pradesh government to devise a policy aimed at ending private practices by these doctors. The directive emerged during a hearing on Wednesday involving a senior doctor from Moti Lal Nehru Medical College in Prayagraj.
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal highlighted troubling practices where doctors are reportedly redirecting patients to private facilities for monetary gain, compromising patient care at government institutions. “It has become a menace that patients are being referred and dragged to private nursing homes and hospitals for treatment,” Justice Agarwal remarked, pointing out the neglect of duties by state-appointed doctors.
The case gained traction following a complaint by Rupesh Chandra Srivastava in a consumer forum, alleging improper treatment by Dr. Arvind Gupta at a private nursing home. This incident led the court to scrutinize the activities of government doctors working in private healthcare settings.
In response to a court order from January 2, 2025, the state’s legal counsel revealed that the Principal Secretary of Medical Health and Education had already mandated the strict enforcement of a 1983 government ruling. This ruling prohibits government doctors from engaging in private practice and compensates them with a non-practising pay or allowance instead.
The court has demanded a personal affidavit from the Principal Secretary within two weeks, confirming the enforcement of this 1983 order. Furthermore, the High Court has asked the state to develop a comprehensive policy to completely stop private practices by doctors in provincial medical services and district hospitals.
