NMC calls upon doctors for ethical practice

Nagaland Medical Council (NMC) has called upon its members practising both in private and government sectors to continue maintaining highest levels of ethical practice.
Drawing attention to a news article “Govt doctors in private practice warned” in Nagaland Post on January 26 2023, council president Dr Joyce Z Angami in a statement pointed out that the principal objective of medical profession was to render service to humanity with full respect for the dignity of profession and man.
She said the honoured ideals of the medical profession implied that the responsibility of the physician extended not only to individuals, but also to society (MCI Code of Medical Ethics).
Angami also appreciated the Government of Nagaland for clearly defining “Private Practice” and for offering to in-service doctors a onetime option to opt for Non-Practising Allowance (NPA) in 2011. Hence, she asserted that in-service doctors availing NPA and indulging in private practice was unethical as it violated government rules.
She also reminded private hospitals that, under the Health Establishment Act, 1997, they could not employ in-service doctors. However, he clarified that non-compliance of these rules should not be construed as a criminal act, but seen as violation of government rules.
Therefore, to avoid attracting punitive action from the government and to uphold ethical practice, the NMC president stressed that it was the responsibility of each individual. To honour the ideals of medical profession and to gain confidence of the society, she said it was the bounden duty of every doctor to uphold the highest ethical practice in their profession.