Agartala: The Tripura govt has prohibited doctors at Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) & Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) Hospital from engaging in private medical practice, aiming to strengthen public healthcare services in the state.Cabinet spokesperson Sushanta Chowdhury said doctors at the leading govt facilities will no longer be allowed to run private clinics or provide consultations outside the hospital. To offset the restriction, the govt plans to offer an additional 20 per cent on the basic salary to all medical officers, faculty members, and consultants.Chowdhury said the objective is to ensure that experienced specialists devote their services fully to govt healthcare institutions. The move is expected to improve patient care, reduce waiting times and improve the overall quality of services offered to the public. He said doctors unwilling to accept the new policy have the option to resign from their govt positions.This policy shift has generated considerable discussion among healthcare providers, with some arguing that govt doctors should focus solely on public service, ensuring that patients in govt hospitals have direct access to senior specialists during working hours, which has allegedly been inadequate in AGMC.Healthcare experts said the success of the reform will depend on effective implementation, strict oversight, and the govt’s ability to retain skilled medical professionals while growing its workforce. They also proposed enhancing services at district and sub-divisional hospitals, ensuring that doctors there are committed to fully utilising all available resources to minimise patient overflow to AGMC. Currently, even with adequate infrastructure and specialised physicians in the district and state referral hospitals like IGM, simple cases are still referred to AGMC.The state govt 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-practising and focus on serving the institution. Further, if needed, specialised clinics could operate on a pay basis during the evening hours within the hospital.
