HYDERABAD: A day after top officials of Health Department hinted towards restricting doctors of government hospital from private practice, many doctors have expressed disappointment. The authorities are likely to introduce new a clause in the recruitment laws that will ban doctors from private practices.
One of the main reasons that this move is not welcomed is a sharp pay disparity between doctors at autonomous central hospitals like NIMS/AIIMS and those in other government hospitals. At NIMS, even low-rung doctors draw gross monthly salary of Rs 1.8L, whereas at other government hospitals, an Assistant Professors gets upto Rs 98,000 monthly. The crucial element making the salaries of NIMS doctors more than that of Government hospitals is ‘Non-Practice Allowance’ or NPA.
This pay component is given as a compensation to doctors for not practising outside the NIMS. This component is around 20 per cent of the basic pay. “The pay disparity is very sharp between doctors of same seniority at NIMS/AIIMS as compared to those at other government hospitals. If the government wants to ban private practice, then they have to pay the salary at par with autonomous colleges. How can a cardiology super-specialist sustain in Hyderabad with only Rs 80,000 salary if private practice is banned?” asked Dr Srinivas Gundagani, advisor to JuDA (Junior Doctors Association).
Meanwhile, the association President Putala Srinivas has welcomed the move but urged the government to consult various doctors’ association to decide a suitable allowance for the best health outcomes in the State.