x

Like our Facebook Page

   
Early Times Newspaper Jammu, Leading Newspaper Jammu
 
Breaking News :   Back Issues  
 
news details
Pvt practice by SKIMS docs: Info yet to be made public, SIC order violated
2/10/2016 10:57:06 PM
Early Times Report

Srinagar, Feb 10: The Sher -e- Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Srinagar is yet to make list of those doctors public who were caught by authorities doing private practice. By not making this information public SKIMS has violated the orders of State Information Commission (SIC) which had directed PIO of SKIMS to make the said information public in its order issued last year n September.
The State Information Commission (SIC) had directed the SKIMS Srinagar to reveal details about action taken by the authorities against a senior doctor of SKIMS who was involved in private practice which is completely banned for the doctors employed at SKIMS. The said information was earlier denied under RTI Act to an information seeker who also happens to be a senior doctor in the same institute.
Early Times had already carried a detailed report on this issue last year. Pertinent to mention that one Information seeker Prof (Dr) Ghulam Nabi Yatoo a resident of Humhama Budgam had sought the details under J&K RTI Act 2009 from SKIMS officials (PIO) about the outcome of the letter forwarded to the Competent Authority by the SKIMS administration recommending therein the immediate suspension of Dr Altaf Shah who according to the attendance statement signed by the HOD was caught indulging in private practice by the Government agencies. Dr Yatoo had sought copies of the retrospective service benefits as Professor Gastroenterology given to the said doctor after doing this criminal act of private practice.
The Information was denied by the SKIMS Public Information Officer (PIO) by invoking the some provisions of RTI wherein the PIO termed this information as personal information / 3rd party information. The First Appellate Authority (FAA) also upheld the decision of the PIO. The case finally landed before the larger bench of J&K State Information Commission (SIC).
The SIC's Sept 2015 Judgement read: "Nobody can deny the fact that private practice conducted by a doctor, who is on the role of the government, affects the hundreds and thousands of patients and is thus overwhelmingly in public interest. Public should know whether a particular doctor, who is a government employee is also attending his private practice. This is a vital information which is needed for a patient so that he/she can choose whether he will consult such doctor in government hospital, whether he is performing primary job and getting remuneration or consult a private doctor, who is exclusively giving attention to his patients at a private clinic. The patient must have such independence. Therefore, this cannot be treated as a personal information".
  Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network  
  Comment on this Story  
 
 
 
Early Times Android App
STOCK UPDATE
  
BSE Sensex
NSE Nifty
 
CRICKET UPDATE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Home About Us Top Stories Local News National News Sports News Opinion Editorial ET Cetra Advertise with Us ET E-paper
 
 
J&K RELATED WEBSITES
J&K Govt. Official website
Jammu Kashmir Tourism
JKTDC
Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board
Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board
Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board
UTILITY
Train Enquiry
IRCTC
Matavaishnodevi
BSNL
Jammu Kashmir Bank
State Bank of India
PUBLIC INTEREST
Passport Department
Income Tax Department
JK CAMPA
JK GAD
IT Education
Web Site Design Services
EDUCATION
Jammu University
Jammu University Results
JKBOSE
Kashmir University
IGNOU Jammu Center
SMVDU