Agartala: To enhance public healthcare in Tripura, the state government has prohibited doctors at GBP Hospital & Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) from participating in private medical practices.
The Cabinet spokesperson, Sushanta Chowdhury said that physicians at the leading government facilities will no longer be allowed to run private clinics or provide consultations beyond hospital. To mitigate this restriction, the government plans to offer an additional 20 percent on the basic salary to all medical officers, faculty members, and consultants.
Chowdhury explained that the main aim is to have experienced specialists fully commit their skills to government healthcare institutions. This change is anticipated to enhance patient care, lessen waiting times, and improve the overall quality of services offered to the public.
He indicated that those doctors who do not wish to accept the new policy have the option to resign from their government positions. Chowdhury believes that fostering a full-time and dedicated medical workforce is essential for strengthening Tripura’s healthcare system and delivering better treatment options for its residents.
This policy shift has generated considerable discussion among healthcare providers, who maintained that government doctors should focus solely on public service, ensuring that patients in government hospitals have direct access to senior specialists during working hours, which has allegedly been inadequate in AGMC.
Healthcare experts stress that the success of the reform will depend on effective implementation, strict oversight, and the government’s ability to retain skilled medical professionals while growing its healthcare workforce.
They also proposed enhancing the services of district and sub-divisional hospitals, ensuring that doctors there are committed to fully utilizing all available resources to minimize patient overflow to AGMC. Currently, even with adequate infrastructure and specialized physicians in the district and state referral hospitals like IGM, simple cases are still referred to AGMC, which increases patient load and leads to a decline in service quality.
Tripura government has recently sought help from AIIMS New Delhi to improve the healthcare system at AGMC. It was recommended that all medical staff be classified as non-practicing and focus their efforts on serving the institution around the clock. Further, if needed, specialized clinics could operate on a pay basis during the evening hours within the hospital.