In a decisive move, the Assam government has issued stringent directives to restrain the practice of government doctors working at private health institutions during their duty hours.

A letter from the Assam Government’s Medical Education and Research Department to the Health and Family Welfare Department laid out directives to take steps so that government doctors cannot practice in private nursing homes or hospitals during duty hours assigned to them.

Here are the set of instructions laid out for the Health and Family Welfare Department:

1. Director of Health Services, Assam may be instructed accordingly to instruct all Private Health Institutions registered under the Clinical Establishment Act to ensure that no government doctor should practice in their establishment during duty hours.

2. Joint Director of Health Services, Assam may be instructed to carry out periodic inspections of private Clinical establishments to ensure compliance with the provision

3. Onus of compliance of the provision shall lie on the private Hospitals, Nursing Homes etc. In case of violations, appropriate action as per provisions of law should be taken against such establishments.

4. Monthly report of such inspections carried out should be submitted to government, along with recommendations for action to be taken