Prayagraj: While directing the state government to take necessary action against doctors engaged in government hospitals and medical colleges, who are found indulging in private practice, the Allahabad high court has directed the principal secretary, medical education, UP, to file his personal affidavit disclosing the status of the matter.
Hearing a petition, Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal directed this case to be put up on March 26 for the next hearing.
During the course of hearing, as per earlier direction of the court, a personal affidavit of principal secretary, medical education, government of UP was filed before the court.
In this affidavit, it was stated that 37 district magistrates (DMs) have submitted their reports on February 19, 2025, and February 24, 2205, to the state government. The additional advocate general submitted that reports which have been submitted by 37 DMs are under examination by the state. He also contended that some breathing time may be given so that the entire action taken on the reports of DMs may be placed before this court.
The court said that in the previous affidavit filed by the principal secretary, medical education, government of UP, it was mentioned that disciplinary proceedings were initiated against those doctors, who were found indulging in private practice. In the present affidavit, there is no averment as to the stage of disciplinary proceeding and the action taken against them, the court added.
The court said it expects the state government to conclude the disciplinary proceedings as soon as possible so as to send the message across the board to all those doctors who are employed in government hospitals, especially in medical colleges and district hospitals, to refrain from private practice. “The action should be prompt by the state government”, the court further added in its order dated February 27.
Earlier, in its order dated January 8, the court, while expressing concern that government doctors are not attending to patients in medical colleges and government hospitals, had directed the UP government to come out with a policy for stopping private practice of doctors employed with the government.
