Govt doctors in pvt practice warned

KOHIMA, JAN 25 (NPN):

Considering the huge amount of money spent on Non Practicing Allowance (NPA), State government doctors not performing 100% in their call of duty and practising in private hospitals would be asked to go on retirement.

This was disclosed by Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) commissioner & secretary Y Kikheto Sema during a departmental coordination meeting held at the directorate conference hall here on Wednesday.

He said the government was spending more than Rs 30-35 crore annually on NPA, which was more than salary bill of 10 small departments for an entire year. He claimed that the government was paying a lot to the doctors, but lamented that some of these doctors were serving in private hospitals despite enjoying NPA benefits.

Hence, he said the government was willing to let them go on voluntary retirement so that young unemployed doctors could occupy their posts. He remarked, “We will not hesitate to give them retirement.”

Further, Kikheto acknowledged that maximum senior doctors were posted in directorate. He admitted that running after fourth grade staff and transferring and posting was not a part of a doctor’s profession.

In this regard, he cited the example of Dr V Losu, who had performed surgeries despite having served as principal director, and urged the doctors to assist the hospitals during their free time.

He said that the government had supported promotion of doctors and ensured their pension benefits upon retirement, but insisted that the doctors too should follow

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government service rules.

Meanwhile, Kikheto disclosed that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) was expected to visit Nagaland in September 2023 to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the State government for constructing a 400-bed hospital at Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences & Research (NIMSR). Following the signing of MoU, he said NHAK would be redesignated as NIMSR until the institute was fully ready.

On recruitment of NIMSR faculty, Kikheto clarified that owing to Model Code of Conduct, the department could not carry out the recruitment.