Agartala, June 29: Doctors at Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) Hospital have called for a revision of service rules, improved salaries and time-bound promotions after the Tripura government imposed a ban on private practice at the state’s premier government healthcare institution.
While the medical professionals have expressed support for the government’s decision to restrict private practice, they have urged authorities to simultaneously address long-standing demands related to pay structure and service benefits.
AGMC Teachers’ Forum president Dr Tapan Majumder said the state government’s broader vision is to develop AGMC and GBP Hospital on the lines of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. He added that such an upgrade must also reflect in doctors’ remuneration and service conditions. “The government wants to transform the state’s largest hospital into an institute like AIIMS-New Delhi. In that case, salaries and other perquisites should also be on similar lines,” he said.
The decision has impacted around 350 doctors, all of whom have stopped attending private clinics in compliance with the directive issued from Sunday. The move, however, has reportedly led to inconvenience for patients who relied on private consultations from government doctors.
In response to the development, an emergency meeting was held involving the All Tripura Government Doctors’ Association (ATGDA), the AGMC Teachers’ Forum and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to discuss the issue and chart a course of action.
Following the meeting, the associations decided to seek an appointment with Chief Minister Manik Saha and the Health Services Secretary to place their demands for consideration. ATGDA general secretary Dr Kanak Chowdhury reiterated that government doctors remain committed to strengthening public healthcare delivery and meeting patient needs.
He added that both the Chief Minister and the Health Services Secretary are currently out of the state, and discussions would be held upon their return, with the doctors hoping for an early resolution to the matter.
