Jammu, Dec 8: The state government is indecisive over the implementation of the High Court directions to ban the private practice of doctors in Jammu and Kashmir.
 Sources said that a high level meeting attended by the Minister for Health Sham Lal Sharma and Minister for Medical Education, R S Chib, was convened to discuss the government’s response to the directions of the court. However, the  meeting ended without reaching on a final decision except  for underlining the need to conduct a study to assess the impact among the  public in case of any such move.
 “The meeting remained inconclusive and it was decided that the issue needs a broader study to ascertain the reaction of people if the private practice of the government doctors is banned” sources said.
 The Jammu and Kashmir High Court had given the directions on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a NGO.
 When contacted, Minister for Health Sham Lal Sharma said that they would again meet in soon to take the final decision.
 “This is a policy matter and everything has to be considered before a final decision is taken. It was our first meeting and directions have been passed to officials to study its impact and ramifications,” Sharma said.
 He said that government is also concerned over commercialization of the health sector but there is need to take into consideration views of all stakeholders  before taking the final  decision.
 Sources said that though Jammu and Kashmir itself issued a SRO a few years back to ban  the private practice by the government doctors, but it was not implemented properly keeping in view the poor infrastructure in the government hospitals.
 “I don’t think government will implement the order because it will put burden on hospitals which lack many basic facilities”, said a senior officer.
 Meanwhile, officials said that a delegation of some senior doctors had also met the Health Minister and expressed dismay over the decision of the court and its ramification on the health sector.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 8 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 8 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 9 Dec 2011 00:00:00 IST