A government doctor is set to face dismissal from service and cancellation of his medical licence after Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain found him allegedly treating patients at a private diagnostic center during official working hours on Thursday.
The doctor, Dr Moinul Hasan Chishti, is posted at Belabo Upazila Health Complex in Narsingdi.
The minister found him during a surprise inspection at Popular Diagnostic Centre on English Road in Old Dhaka and immediately instructed the authorities concerned to revoke his medical licence and dismiss him from government service.
Speaking after the inspection, Sakhawat said government doctors are prohibited from providing medical services at private healthcare facilities during official office hours.
Alleging that Dr Chishti had been violating the rules for a long time, the minister said the doctor's office had previously served him with a show-cause notice, which he allegedly ignored.
"The doctor's office had also served him a show-cause notice, but he ignored it," the minister said.
He also directed the executive magistrate conducting the mobile court to take necessary legal action over the incident.
During the inspection, officials reviewed the clinic's records and found that it did not possess a resignation letter or a no-objection certificate (NOC) indicating that the doctor had resigned from government service or obtained permission to work at a private healthcare facility.
The minister also reprimanded the manager of Popular Diagnostic Centre for allowing a government physician to treat patients without verifying the required documents.
"If a government doctor wants to resign or work elsewhere, a resignation letter and NOC are mandatory. Allowing such practice without verifying these documents is illegal," he said, alleging that the clinic had facilitated unethical practices for financial gain.
The clinic manager acknowledged the lapse, admitting that the authorities had failed to collect the necessary documents from the doctor. He assured the minister that such negligence would not be repeated.
Talking to reporters after the drive, Sakhawat said the government spends substantial public funds to ensure healthcare services at government hospitals.
"If a government doctor neglects official duties to treat patients at a private facility, there will be no leniency," he said.
The minister warned that strict action would be taken against both government doctors and private healthcare institutions found involved in such irregularities.