ISLAMABAD, Aug 7: The Supreme Court was informed on Monday that a proposed policy on institution-based private practice by doctors of public hospitals was pending before the cabinet and was likely to be approved in its next meeting.

The policy envisages gradual control of private practice by public hospital doctors because immediate reversal in the trend is not possible.

A Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and Justice M. Javed Buttar has taken up on suo motu the private practice by doctors of government hospitals.

A similar scheme, the policy recalls, was introduced in the Frontier province a few years ago but it failed to yield results because of agitation and mass exodus of specialists and doctors from the government service, forcing the provincial government to cancel it.

On Monday, Deputy Attorney-General Raja Mohammad Irshad informed the court that the health ministry had moved a summary to the cabinet division suggesting a seven-point pro-

posal to introduce institution-based private practice in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences as a pilot project to be replicated in other institutions of the country.

The chief justice observed that except for Pakistan almost every country had legislation on institution-based private practice. He referred to institutions like the Aga Khan University Hospital, Combined Military Hospital and the Military Hospital which have allowed such practice.

Earlier, a committee under the inspector-general (hospitals), Ministry of Health, after consultations with provincial health secretaries, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and the Pakistan Medical Association, recommended a phased institution-based private practice after normal hospital hours.

It asked to first introduce the practice in government hospitals which had sufficient administrative capacity and requisite infrastructure and facilities.

The practice should later be extended to other hospitals gradually.

The income through the fee charged should be distributed between doctors concerned and the hospital on an agreed formula while utilising government facilities.

Utilities used should also be made up from the hospital share. Use of income should be monitored in each hospital by a vigilance committee.