The growing number of quacks and unauthorised medical practitioners are posing serious threats to human health and there is a dire need of promulgating the much-needed legislation to counter this menace.
The experts are blaming the concerned ministry for not promulgating the much-needed legislation to check illegal health activity. Secretary General Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Khalid Randhawa told APP on Thursday that the mushroom growth of quacks throughout the country has raised the ratio of unnatural deaths.
He alleged that it is the vested interests of the political authorities who give them a free hand to play with the lives of the people. He claimed that the number of quacks has touched the one million mark, so any concrete step in this concern is direly needed.
He maintained that in order to overcome this heinous crime, the government should empower the local health officers like the district health officers to check the menace. Ahmed Nadeem Akbar, Secretary General Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) speaking on the issue said that the government should make a proper legislation and ensure its implementation without any further delay.
He was of the view that the existing laws are not enough for dealing the crime and its elimination. Akbar said the new legislation should also suggest some sentence for those who commit this offence. He said PMDC is doing its best efforts within its parameters but it had not been delegated the power to take any action against the quacks.
He said during the last five years, the Council has taken action against 814 practitioners found involved in quackery. He said after suspending the convicted quakes, the Council also informs the local authorities about the conviction, so it is upon them not to let the convicted persons run their private clinics.
A health expert here, on the condition of anonymity, alleged that all the three including the National Council for Homeopathy, PMDC and the health ministry are responsible for this dramatic increase of unauthorised practitioners.
He was of the opinion that the majority of them practice homeopathy or Hikmat (herbal treatment) but the concerned departments are not taking any measure to check the problem.
"There are also cases of doctors trained in Hikmat and homeopathy practising allopathy. This poses a huge risk to people," he said. The quacks charge much lesser fee than qualified doctors, and are therefore preferred by the poor segment of the society.
Citing the examples, he said that the 80 per cent of the delivery cases are attended by the `traditional birth attendants', who, sometime put the life of the woman at risk.
He observed that some ghost institutions, having no affiliation with any certificate-issuing institution, are working but any strict vigilance is still awaited. Mahmood Abbasi, President National Council for Homeopathy ruled out the notion that majority of the quacks practice homeopathy. He said the Council has started a campaign against the practitioners and institutions working illegally.
He said the Council has issued show cause notices to 14 colleges which were being run without any affiliation with the Council. He added that 26 Conditional Colleges (registered temporarily) have also been given 90-day deadline to get them registered with the Council; otherwise, they would be treated under law.
He said out of 17 cases with the Council, the registration of a Lahore-based practitioner named as Dr Liaqat, not fulfilling the required criteria, was cancelled.
He said the council has also removed its Chairman examinations as he was found guilty of violating the examination rules and had issued the passing certificates to the failed candidates. The twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are also no exception in this regard. Several people in Raja Bazaar, Sadar, and Moti Bazar are found selling drugs injurious to health and even some of them have also established their own clinics.
When contacted, a Hakim said that the herbal treatment is far more effective than others as according to him, unlike others it has no side-effects and has long-lasting effects. When asked about any relevant qualification, he said he has learnt from his ancestors, so he does not need any other qualification.
In Rawalpindi, some quacks are also found checking patients sitting on the footpaths. They seem confident to treat the diseases like scabies, fever, diabetes and other stomach diseases.
An official of Ministry of Health said that concrete steps have been taken to control practices of quacks playing with the health of innocent people. He added people should also avoid visiting these quacks and prefer to go to medical professionals for redressal of their health problems.
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