Tripura Doctors Resume Private Practice Over Delayed Government Ban

Agartala: Doctors and faculty at Agartala Government Medical College and GB Pant Hospital are back to seeing private patients. The state government promised a ban on outside work weeks ago. They never sent out the official paperwork to make it stick.

The cabinet wants this ban to boost public healthcare quality. But without formal notification or clear operational guidelines, the transition stalled. The AGMC Teachers Forum met recently and voted to keep private offices open for now. They want to ensure patients undergoing long-term care do not get left in the dark.

Doctors remain split on the move. Some kept their clinics shut permanently while others unlocked their doors. The forum stated, "The temporary decision was taken to ensure continuity of care for patients who have been receiving long-term treatment from individual doctors."

The medical staff continues to push for better pay and clearer promotion rules before the state forces any permanent changes. Chief Minister Manik Saha insists the ban is still coming. He claims the policy follows advice from an AIIMS team meant to improve the system. Critics argue the rules are unfair because they only target staff at these two major facilities while leaving other government doctors alone.