Nagpur: Nagpur being the only major medical hub in Central India is fast becoming the notorious den for commissions and cuts, highly prevalant among doctors.
Taking the issue of cut practice in medical profession seriously, the state government has formed a committee headed by former DGP Pravin Dixit to frame guidelines for defining it.
It would decide on the punishment quantum, type of punishment for cut practice and identify persons or institutions who will be covered under the Cut Practice Act.
Dr Pravin Shingare, chief of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) and also a member of the committee, said that the committee formed about 15 days ago is expected to submit its report within two months. “The committee was basically formed in consultation with the medical education minister and aims to prepare a draft of the Cut Practice Act to prevent it,” he said.
Dr Shingare said beginning from defining cut practice, the committee will identify persons (doctors), clinical establishments, dispensaries, hospitals (big and small) etc. The committee will identify ways and methods being used in cut practice as well as lay down the quantum and type of punishment for persons involved in cut practice.
“The committee will also decide on whom the onus will lie to prove that the person is guilty,” said Dr Shingare.
The DMER chief said that the committee would submit the report to the law and judiciary department and then to the State Assembly to get it enacted.
“I have been getting so many complaints against various radiologists and pathologists among others about cheques being sent to doctors for referring patients for MRI, CAT scan etc. One of the doctors got a cheque without even referring patients. Hence, it is high time that this evil practice is stopped,” said Dr Shingare.
Earlier, only the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) had the power to cancel licences of persons found guilty in cases like cut practice. There is no functional MMC this year as the state government has not nominated its members on the council after the MMC elections.
The council is being presently run by only an administrator. Hence, the committee will give guidelines on which agency will have the power to punish the guilty.
In the meantime, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has issued guidelines for transparent practice and improving doctor-patient relationship under which IMA has adopted a ‘zero tolerance’ attitude against unethical practices by medical professionals and/or medical establishments.
The committee members besides Dixit and Shingare include Dr Sanjay Oak, former director of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Council (BMC)-run medical colleges in Mumbai, Dr Himmat Bawaskar from Alibagh who has been fighting against cut practice, Dr Ramakant Pandya of Asian heart Institute Mumbai and two others.
