Contact tracing: Doctor found indulging in private practice, in home isolation

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 10

Violating the state government rules, a doctor of Government Rajindra Hospital was found indulging in private practice.

The incident came to the fore when the health department had to ask an orthopaedician of Rajindra Hospital to quarantine at home because a Covid positive patient revealed that he underwent treatment at the doctor’s private clinic.

The patient (a kid) had revealed this during a contact-tracing exercise by the Health Department. The kid from Kallon Majra block of the district received treatment from the doctor in the first week of August. After a few days, the kid tested positive for Covid.

Despite ban on private practice amid the Covid-19 pandemic, some doctors are still indulging in the practice. They are resorting to methods such as letting in the patients via back door instead of the main gate entry. Besides, some disguise themselves with different clinic names.

A senior health official said: “They have not stopped private practice even during the Covid times. They are getting around Rs2 lakh per month from the government to treat patients in government hospitals, but still they need do undertake private practice.”

The issue of private practice has been raised several times in the past. However, the government seemed complacent and no action was taken.

Davinderjit Kaur, Senior Medical Officer (SMO), Kallo Majra, said the father of the kid, who tested positive, informed the health team that they visited a private clinic in Rajpura. So, they had to advise the doctor to home quarantine, said he.