Bihar invokes Act to discipline traunt doctors

In a bid to check truant medical officers and other staff of government hospitals, Bihar government has decided to invoked the 'Bihar Prevention of Specified Corrupt Practices Act 1983', for the first time after its enactment, which threatens to take legal actions, including registration of FIRs for criminal negligence of duty against errant officials.

State health and medical Education Minister Chandra Mohan Rai said the BPSCP Act 1983 has came into force on Tuesday after a decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting with officials of my department.

The Act was enacted in 1983, he said it would come in handy to force 'slack' medical officers to be present at government hospital and health centres during duty hours and also effectively deal with the truant doctors doing private practice during duty hours.

Rai said public notices were being issued in this regard to warn the doctors and other staff against violation of the act.

Under Section 16 of the BPSCP Act, any government doctor or other staff found absent from duty or charging money for medicines, to be provided to the patients free of cost at government hospitals and health centres, would face imprisonment (simple or rigorous) up to one year with fine, or both.