Patna, Nov. 30: There are not one, but many reasons why Indira Gandhi Institute of medical Sciences (IGIMS) in the state capital continues to be a poor shadow of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 28 years after its inception.
Lack of interest in duty by doctors is one of the main reasons as most of them appear to be more interested in their private practices despite this being a gross violation of the terms of service that ban private practice by medics.
According to sources, of about 50 senior doctors at the institution, 25-30 indulge in private practice despite the fact that service terms do not allow them to do so.
“From the day an employee — right from a peon to the director — of the institution signs a bond to work at IGIMS, it is testified that he/she will not indulge in any kind of commercial activities anywhere else. The term clearly says that if anybody is found doing so, they will be terminated from service with immediate effect. It also implies to doctors here. However, more than half of them do so and no action has been initiated against any of them ever,” said a source.
The source added that while doctors do their duties in outpatient department (OPD) properly, they hardly pay attention to indoor patients. “This is primarily because OPD acts as catchment area to trap patients. They consult patients there and ask them to visit their clinics or homes,” he also said.
Most of the doctors, who are involved in private practice, do it in a very furtive and secretive manner. They mostly run clinics at their homes. “Signboards outside their houses do not clearly suggest that they are running their clinics from there. Many, who work in nursing homes and private hospitals, do not have their names mentioned on the panel of consultants. They do not even have names on the prescription and they sign only with their initials,” the source added.
“It is difficult to establish their involvement, but not impossible. There have been several complaints against these doctors, but no disciplinary action has been taken against any of them. If a team of raiders go to places where they have their business, they can be caught red handed. But nobody seems interested,” he also said.
On being asked why the hospital administration had turned a blind eye towards the complaints, IGIMS director Dr Arun Kumar expressed his inability to carry out the raids owing to lack of machinery. “I have been receiving complaints against many of the doctors but I do not have the machinery or evidences to nail them. I had sought the health department’s help also but they are yet to get back to me on this,” said Kumar.
Accused doctors, meanwhile, vehemently denied the charges saying these rumours were spread by some “vested interest to tarnish our image”.
Dr Ashok Kumar, a neuro-physician who allegedly has his clinic in the Kadamkuan area, said: “These allegations are totally baseless. Sometimes I do consult a few people when they come to me asking for help but I do not do any private practice. Some people within the institution spread these concocted stories to tarnish our image.”
