FG Bans Doctors From Private Practice

Federal Government, yesterday Wednesday, announced a ban for medical doctors working in public hospitals to engage in private practice outside their place of work.

Government also said henceforth, the doctrine of no work, no pay, which was contained in the nation’s law, would be invoked for workers embarking on strike.

The decision was taken at yesterday’s Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Briefing State House correspondents after the weekly FEC meeting, Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole said council decided to look into the issue of private practice by medical doctors in the public sector, adding that a committee was set up to look extensively into the issue.

He said the decision became important because of the worrisome development in the health sector, and that government was to resolve the issue in accordance with what the law of the land stated and what the rule of professional ethics said.

The minister said the law of the land did not allow any public officer to do anything other than farming, adding that the committee set up to look into the matter would make appropriate recommendations to government on the issues which he said was of considerable interest to Nigerians.