Assam throws open Govt hospitals for private doctors

Guwahati, Apr 6: Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma today announced that the private doctors will henceforth be called to do evening duties at the Out Patient Departments (OPD) in government hospitals.

While addressing a press conference, Dr Sharma said, ''Normally in government hospitals, the doctors are available between 0800-1400 hours in the OPDs. But we have now decided to open it for private doctors for another round of evening OPDs,'' The idea is to catch hold of both government and private doctors to attend the evening OPDs using government hospital facilities.

''The general doctors will be paid Rs 300 per day and that too in cash while the specialised doctors will be given Rs 500 each,'' he said.

The project, launched in 150 hospitals of the state, would have an additional burden of Rs 17 crore on the state exchequer. However, the patients will not be charged.

He also informed that those government doctors, who attend the morning shift, would only be entitled for the evening shift.

''Our calculation shows that a basic MBBS doctors can not expect to earn Rs 300 per day in any private clinic. So they are very enthusiastic towards the scheme,'' the health minister added.

He also announced that from next month onwards three Para-medical institutes with diploma facilities would start in the three existing medical colleges.

''The target is create a job market outside India as Kerala has the monopoly to export paramedics to the Gulf countries so far. But once we have the qualified para-medicos we will be able to ease the unemployment problem to a great extent,'' he said.

UNI