The Tripura government has prohibited doctors at Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and GBP Hospital from engaging in private practice. To compensate, their basic pay will be increased by 20%, a move aimed at improving public healthcare.
In a significant healthcare reform initiative, the Tripura government under the leadership of Chief Minister Manik Saha has decided to prohibit doctors and medical officers serving at Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) Hospital from engaging in private practice.
Cabinet Approves Ban on Private Practice
According to CMO Tripura, the decision was approved by the state Cabinet and will be implemented initially at AGMC and GBP Hospital, the state’s premier and oldest government healthcare institution.
Confirming the development to ANI on Tuesday evening, Tripura Government spokesperson and Cabinet Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said that all government doctors and medical officers posted at AGMC and GBP Hospital will be required to strictly comply with the new policy. “The Cabinet has taken a firm decision that doctors serving at AGMC and GBP Hospital will not be allowed to undertake private practice under any circumstances. This directive must be strictly followed by all concerned medical professionals,” Chowdhury said.
Compensation for Doctors
To compensate for the restriction on private practice, the state government has decided to provide a 20 per cent increase in the basic pay of the doctors serving at the institution. The move is aimed at ensuring their full-time commitment to public healthcare services and improving patient care in government hospitals.
Strengthening Healthcare Services
In another important decision, the minister announced that the government will recruit 186 Technical Assistants through the General Recruitment Board of Tripura (GRBT) to strengthen healthcare service delivery.
According to Chowdhury, the Cabinet’s decision reflects the government’s commitment to enhancing the quality, accessibility and accountability of healthcare services in the state. Officials described the move as one of the most significant healthcare policy decisions undertaken by the state government in recent years.
The decision is expected to improve the availability of specialist doctors at AGMC and GBP Hospital and ensure greater attention to patients seeking treatment at government facilities. Chief Minister Manik Saha, himself a medical professional by background, has consistently emphasised strengthening Tripura’s healthcare infrastructure and improving public health services. The latest Cabinet decision is being viewed as a major step toward ensuring dedicated medical services in the state’s flagship government hospital and medical college.
The government is expected to issue detailed implementation guidelines shortly, while monitoring mechanisms will be put in place to ensure strict adherence to the new policy.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)