TIMERGARA, Feb 15: Social circles, public representatives and local staff of the health department have welcomed the government decision of banning private practice by serving doctors outside the government health facilities.

Lower Dir district health officer Younas Khan, while defending the ban, said the step would ameliorate the lot of both the ailing humanity and doctors community. The decision would also improve the image of doctors serving in the public sector hospitals, he added.

Timergara DHQ hospital medical superintendent Dr Khaista Rehman termed the ban a courageous step, saying the decision would restore people’s confidence in the public sector hospitals.

Lower Dir district health committee members and local Nazimeen including Sher Bahadur, Sher Hayat advocate, Shah Nawaz and Saiful Islam also supported the decision and assured the government of all-out cooperation in this regard.

In their separate remarks, they said that senior doctors and consultants of government hospitals used to fleece the poor patients in their private clinics. They asked the government that the decision of fixing Rs200 as check-up fee at the government hospitals should be reviewed and Rs100 be fixed instead, in the Malakand division.

They also demanded of the government to increase the number of beds and improve the existing facilities at the health outlets.

Muslim Youth Wing, District Dir, President Sardar Javed Akhtar advocate said the notification on the ban on government doctors’ private practice was ambiguous. He said the government must take decisions in the best interest of the people.

Social circles observed that the decision would differentiate between doctors and looters, adding that the decision would increase the revenue receipts of the government hospitals.