AGMC and GBP Hospital doctors urge government to address service rules, pay restructuring, and career progression while supporting healthcare reforms
Doctors at Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) Hospital have clarified that they are not opposed to the Tripura government’s decision to prohibit private practice by faculty members and medical officers. However, they have urged the state government to simultaneously address their long-pending service-related demands, including salary restructuring, revision of service rules, and time-bound promotions.
The government’s decision, which came into effect on Sunday, impacts nearly 350 doctors working at AGMC and GBP Hospital. As a result, doctors have stopped attending private clinics, leading to inconvenience for several patients who relied on their services outside hospital hours.
Doctors Demand AIIMS-Level Salary and Service Benefits
Speaking to PTI, Agartala Medical College Teachers’ Forum president Dr. Tapan Majumder said that if the government aims to transform the state’s largest healthcare institution into a premier institute on the lines of AIIMS-New Delhi, it should also ensure that doctors receive comparable salaries, service conditions, and other benefits.
Dr. Majumder stated that while doctors support the government’s vision of strengthening public healthcare, their long-pending concerns regarding pay structure and career progression must also be addressed.
Medical Associations to Meet Chief Minister
Following the government’s decision, an emergency meeting was convened by the All Tripura Government Doctors’ Association (ATGDA), the AGMC Teachers’ Forum, and the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
The associations resolved to meet the Tripura Chief Minister and the Secretary of Health Services to present their concerns over the implementation of the ban and seek an early resolution.
Doctors Reiterate Support for Better Public Healthcare
Dr. Kanak Chowdhury, General Secretary of the ATGDA, said government doctors remain committed to improving healthcare services and meeting public expectations. He added that both the Chief Minister and the Health Services Secretary are currently outside the state, and the associations will meet them after their return to discuss the pending demands.
Earlier, a forum of superspecialist doctors had described the government’s decision to ban private practice as “unilateral” and sought reconsideration. Despite those concerns, the latest stand of the doctors’ bodies indicates that they are willing to support the policy, provided the government also undertakes comprehensive reforms in service conditions, remuneration, and promotional avenues.
