Taking a strong stand against private practice by Government doctors, Punjab Government on Monday made it clear that senior medical officers (SMOs) and civil surgeons will be held responsible for private practice by Government doctors.
"Private practice by Government doctors will not be tolerated at any cost, anybody indulged in such a practice should put an end to it," said Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani, while addressing a meeting of chief medical officers (CMOs) and SMOs of the State.
"Civil Surgeons and SMOs will be held responsible if any Government doctor is found doing private practice," added Jiyani, who took over the charge of the Health Ministry after the recent Cabinet Reshuffle.
Jiyani replaced Madan Mohan Mittal who was at loggerheads with the department's Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu over the issue of baring Government doctors from engaging in private practice.
While the CPS has launched a campaign of nailing Government doctors from doing private practice in their official duty hours, Mittal was reluctant to act against them.
Adding that the Punjab Government is committed to provide better health services to all, Jiyani called upon officials and doctors to ensure proper health services especially in the backward rural areas to the poor people.
"We would start visiting all hospitals in the State after 15 days. Cleanliness in hospitals and wards is the top priority," he said, adding that doctors' behaviour should be polite with the patients and no excuses like lack of funds etc should be made for cleanliness.