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The government says it’s cracking down on doctors violating its rule on private practice, due to which many doctors might run into trouble.

Gorakhpur: It’s not legal for all the doctors of the BRD Medical College to have private practice. But in Gorakhpur it’s no secret that many of the doctors working in the government institute have private institutions or clinics in their residences despite possibly violating norms.

Rajeev Rautela, the district magistrate of Gorakhpur, issued orders Monday to the Chief Medical officer of Gorakhpur ordering a check on government doctors’ private practice.

“I have asked the CMO to inform me immediately if a government doctor is found engaged in private practice. Strong action would be taken against anyone who is found guilty,” he told ThePrint.

Dr Kafeel Khan, who was initially hailed for his role in trying to save children who died due to suspected oxygen supply failure, was dismissed for running a private institution among other charges.

Despite the official order, ThePrint found that there were doctors with private practice.

There was no obvious sign of private practice at the residence of Dr PN Singh, who is a professor in the ENT department of the medical college. But after an enquiry at the Rapti Nagar residence, this reporter was taken to a small clinic in the house where the doctor was examining a patient.

This reporter saw him accept fees for treatment and also write out a prescription. An examination of one prescription revealed that it did not bear the doctor’s name or designation. It just stated “Nose, Ear and Throat” in Hindi along with the doctor’s residential address.

When contacted Dr Singh denied having private practice.

“Private practice is completely banned and no one, including me, has any kind of private practice. Even if someone had one, it was completely stopped after Yogi Adityanath’s order,” he said.

Dr KP Kushwaha, the former principal of BRD Medical College, said the rules differed in states on government doctors having private practice. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wants Kushwaha to take charge of the medical institute again.

“In some states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan it is allowed. In UP, if you are a doctor on contract you can have private practice but must inform the office about your hour of practice,” Dr Kushwaha said.

“If you are in the faculty, you cannot have private practice as it is illegal,” he added.

But doctors reoprtedly have found ways to escape detection. Many don’t have their names on prescriptions and patients don’t get receipts for consultations to avoid a paper trail. One chemist said drug stores in the city knew of doctors who were violating the government order.

“Every doctor has his or her own chemist shop and medicines prescribed will be available at those select shops. We also attract new patients for the doctors,” the chemist in Rapti Nagar said, on condition of anonymity.

A professor at the medical college, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that doctors from the medical college were lying low.

“After the current tragedy, the media has set its eyes on the hospital, and doctors have removed their nameplates and signboards outside their residences,” the professor said.

“Otherwise you’d see a crowd of patients outside their residences on any working day. Being from a government hospital helps the doctors build a brand image and they use it for private practice,” the professor said.

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