On Monday, the West Bengal Health Department prohibited teacher-doctors working under the West Bengal Medical Education Service from private practice on the day a patient is being admitted to the respective government hospital and for the following 48 hours.

​The decision has been taken into account to ensure better healthcare service for patients and availability of doctors at government hospitals.

​All the government doctors who work under the directive of West Bengal Medical Education Service have to follow the rule of no private practice until after 72 hours from the day a patient is admitted.

​The rule was announced by an official of the West Bengal Health Department and was effective immediately on August 24. The official said,  “The restriction will apply from the day of admission and for the next 48 hours. The intention is to ensure continuity of care and the availability of the treating faculty for admitted patients.”  

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Doctors working in government hospitals are each assigned admission day duties. Admission day is when a doctor tends to patients who visit the OPD, helps the patient in getting admitted to the hospital, and then attends to those who are admitted in the hospital.

​The government official said that the rule even applies to the doctors who have special permission to practice privately. The doctors have to make sure that they do not practice in their private clinics on the day they are on admission duty and the following 2 days. It was also reported that the decision was taken to ensure patient wellness and care in the government hospitals.

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All the doctors who are working under the West Bengal Medical Education Service will be affected by this decision.  

Government doctors have mandatory admission day duties; however, after the introduction of the new rule, they are exempted from practising privately on admission day and for the next two days, which will leave them fewer days than earlier to attend patients at private institutions.

​According to reports, the decision has received varied reactions. A few doctors have expressed their concern about the patients who are already undergoing treatments at private hospitals by government doctors in West Bengal. The public, on the other hand have rejoiced knowing that the government has taken steps towards the betterment of healthcare facilities and availability of doctors at government facilities.

(Rh/ARC)