Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 8: The Health and Medical Education (H &ME) Department has started inquiry against its four doctors who have been accused of receiving cash, freebies and gifts from pharma companies for prescribing their medicine to patients.
This was revealed by the Secretary to the Government Health and Medical Education while submitting the statement of facts to the court.
The four doctors against whom the inquiry has been ordered include Dr Fayaz Ahmad Peerzada, incharge Chief Medical Officer, Budgam; Dr Javed Ahmad Zargar, Medical Officer Sub District Hospital, Chadoora; Dr Abdul Ahad Wani, Consultant Medicine, Sub District Hospital Baramulla, and Dr Firdous Ahmad Vaid, Medical Officer, Sub Distirct Hospital, Yaripora.
The statement revealed that doctors practicing medicine have been prohibited through an official circular issued in January this year from receiving freebies, gifts from pharma companies and in turn pharma companies have been asked not to make any arrangements for tours of doctors within or outside the country.
Prompted by the allegations of doctors receiving gifts and freebies for prescribing medicine of favourite pharma companies, a Public Interest Litigation was filed in the High Court by Naseer Ahmad Shah.
While hearing the PIL today, a Division Bench of the High Court comprising Justice Hasnain Masoodi and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur Directed the Secretary H&ME Department to locate statutory provisions under which the Circular No. 14-HME of 2014, dated 23-1-14, has been issued, so that the circular has a binding effect and any violation constitutes misconduct and disciplinary proceedings are initiated against the erring doctors.
Ruling out imposing any blanket ban on doctors to participate in seminars, workshops, or conferences, the court observed the ban would be counter-productive as it would affect them from enhancing their knowledge and skills.
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