Nagaland Medical Chief Demands End to Unethical Doctor Practices

Kohima: Nagaland Medical Council president Dr. Puse Liegise put doctors on notice on October 28. He warned that unethical behavior destroys public trust. He spoke at the Nagaland In-Service Doctors Association annual meeting. The Director of the Health and Family Welfare Department flagged four major problems. He singled out illegal abortion practices, violations of non-practising allowance rules, pharmaceutical incentives, and patient referral payments.

Doctors taking non-practising allowance money must avoid private practice. Violators face disciplinary action and must pay back the cash. Liegise also hit back at companies paying doctors to push specific drug brands. He called referral kickbacks unethical. He demanded doctors respect patient privacy and informed consent. He wants them to avoid harm while ensuring fair treatment.

The council chief pushed for a higher standard of care. “Ethics is a matter of the heart. So let us collectively and individually set our hearts right,” he said. He insisted that doctors must safeguard patient dignity above all else.

Finance Commissioner Kesonyu Yhome also attended the conference. He wants the doctors association to move beyond service conditions. He challenged them to partner with the state to fix staffing and infrastructure gaps. Yhome wants evidence-based advice for the government. He emphasized that healthcare spending must improve lives. He pointed out that prevention saves more money than treatment. A healthy population drives the economic progress of Nagaland.