TIMERGARA, May 8: Doctors working in the government hospital in Timergara have been violating the ban on government-employed doctors’ private practice, it has been learnt.

The health authorities in Lower Dir district have hinted at strict action against the erring doctors.

A doctor of the district headquarters hospital in Timergara, who is an orthopaedic surgeon and practices at the Al-Shifa Clinic here, told newsmen during a visit to the private health outlet that he had tendered resignation from the government service and was free to do private practice.

When the medical superintendent Dr Khaista Rehman was contacted in this regard, he denied that the orthopaedic surgeon had resigned from service.

He said that he had also received complaints that the said doctor was doing private practice, and in spite of having given in writing to the hospital administration that he would not do so.

Executive district officer (health) Dr Younas Khan, when contacted, said that the administration would take strict action not only against the said doctor but other doctors too who were found violating the ban on private practice.

He said that they had not received any official direction about the relief given to the medical officers and senior medical officers by the government regarding private practice.

According to a survey, a number of MOs and SMOs are doing private practice outside the public sector hospitals in different parts of the Lower Dir district on the plea that the government had given them relief in the ban on their private practice.