Tripura govt consulted doctors before banning private practice at AGMC, GB Pant: Health Secretary

Tripura Health Secretary Kiran Gitte on June 25 said the state government's decision to prohibit private practice by doctors serving at Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and Gobind Ballabh Pant (GBP) Hospital was taken after detailed consultations with doctors' associations and medical faculty representatives.

Addressing the media, Gitte said Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha held extensive discussions with the All Tripura Government Doctors Association and the AGMC Teachers Forum on June 21 before the decision was finalized.

According to the Health Secretary, the move aims to improve the quality of medical education and healthcare services in the state's premier government medical institution.

"In most states, doctors working in government medical colleges and attached hospitals are not allowed to engage in private practice in the interest of medical education and quality healthcare delivery," Gitte said.

He noted that when AGMC was established in 2005, there was a proposal to restrict private practice by faculty members, though it was not implemented at the time.

Citing examples from across the country, Gitte said states such as Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra have imposed a complete ban on private practice by government doctors, while Kerala, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan have restricted private practice by doctors serving in medical colleges and administrative positions.

The Health Secretary also referred to recommendations made by AIIMS New Delhi Director Dr. M. Srinivas, who visited AGMC and GBP Hospital in 2025 to assess the institutions' potential for upgradation as a Centre of Excellence.

"The report submitted by Dr. Srinivas recommended a complete ban on private practice by doctors working at AGMC and GBP Hospital to improve both medical education and healthcare services," Gitte said.

He added that both the All Tripura Government Doctors Association and the AGMC Teachers Forum unanimously supported the proposal during consultations, while also suggesting enhancements such as linking Dearness Allowance (DA) calculations to Non-Practising Allowance (NPA), timely promotions and greater academic and research support.

To address these concerns, the state government is working on amendments to the Tripura Medical Education Service Rules to create adequate posts and ensure timely promotions for faculty members. The Council of Ministers has also approved a Non-Practising Allowance equivalent to 20 per cent of basic pay and permitted Dearness Allowance calculations on both basic pay and NPA.

Gitte said the government has significantly strengthened staffing at AGMC and GBP Hospital in recent years through the recruitment of faculty members, doctors and senior residents to meet growing academic and healthcare demands.

He expressed confidence that the decision would enhance tertiary healthcare services and facilitate the introduction of super-specialty courses in the near future, as faculty members would be able to devote more time to teaching, research and patient care.

"The doctors posted at AGMC and GBP Hospital have consistently demonstrated commitment to public health, and this reform is expected to further improve the quality of medical education and healthcare services in Tripura," he added.