Omar warns doctors: Desist from private practice or face action

Srinagar: Talking tough on private practicing doctors, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Sunday warned the doctors at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences from indulging in private practice at the cost of patient care in the institute.

“I know who you are; I know your names and the addresses of your clinics. Please, don’t force me to issue an advertisement in the newspaper and seize your clinics,” Omar addressed and medical students on the 28th annual day function of SKIMS held at SKICC here.

“Majority of the doctors, who are God fearing of this institute don’t indulge in the private practice, but a group of  them bring a bad name to the whole folk of the doctors by indulging in the private practice,”  Omar said.

Omar said his government is ready to help the institute and its staff to make the full fill their demands and provide them with best equipments.

According to reporter Omar said, we are ready to help you, but It is most unfortunate that some doctors despite bound under rules and regulations and receiving non-practicing allowances indulge in private practice.

Chief Minister advised such doctors to shun their illegal practice or “face the consequences.”

“Some members (doctors) have turned blind eye towards the ban on private practice. They are following private practice with blatant impunity. It is best opportunity for me, when everyone from SKIMS is here, to tell them that they should desist from private practice or face action,” he said.

Calling his grandfather Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah a visionary Omar said,

“Shiekh sahib was a great visionary, he established SKIMS on the banks of Aanchar Lake with two objectives: providing treatment to poor and promoting medical tourism. He didn’t do it for Farooq Abdullah or Omar Abdullah but for the

Poor people of Kashmir so that they did not have to travel other parts of country for treatment,” CM said adding “SKIMS was vision of Sher-i-Kashmir. It was born with two objectives though they are contrary but complimentary. To ensure that poor people of Kashmir did not have to travel other parts of country for treatment. And to promote medical tourism by providing world class treatment on the banks of Aanchar Lake.”

“Unfortunately, Man proposes God disposes. We have not realized the vision of Sher-i-Kashmir,” he said.