Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday said the State government may reconsider consent given to doctors working on contract basis in government hospitals and PHCs for private consultations.
“They (doctors) were allowed to carry out private practice after their duty hours in the government hospitals. This was primarily done to overcome the shortage of doctors. However, we have noticed some problems and therefore, we are mulling over whether they should be allowed to carry out private practice or not,” the Minister told reporters in Mysuru.
Mr. Gundu Rao said there have been issues that led to the thinking on whether private consultations of such doctors should be permitted. While private consultations are barred for government doctors, it was permitted to only doctors appointed on contract basis. The flexibility that the doctors had may be reviewed considering the problems being faced in the hospitals, he said.
Chamarajanagar oxygen disaster
Replying to questions on the tragedy that took place in Chamarajanagar where many COVID-19 patients died due to lack of oxygen, the Minister said his department had written to the government seeking permission for probing the tragedy. The government has replied back with advice for framing the charges in the case. Once the charges are framed, the government will reinvestigate the disaster, he replied.
“Prima facie, I think there have been lapses even on the part of the higher officials. I believe some of them did not act responsibly. We are in the process of framing charges and submitting a report to the government. We are preparing for a comprehensive probe into the case,” he said.
Mr. Gundu Rao later inspected the District Hospital and the Tele-ICU Hub at K.R. Hospital. He chaired a meeting to review the department’s progress. MLAs Tanveer Sait, Anil Chikkamadu, and K. Harish Gowda and senior officials were present.
