Quacks frequently shift their place of operation to escape arrest, writes
R. Rajaram
The past one week saw the law enforcers cracking the whip against quacks who were found operating across the State.
The sudden crackdown which was launched following a direction from the High Court resulted in the arrest of over 70 fake doctors in the Central Zone alone comprising Tiruchi, Pudukottai, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Karur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts. Cases were registered against the arrested quacks who were later remanded.
The law enforcers swung into the operation upon receiving a list furnished by the Indian Medical Association containing names and other details of 2,000 quacks who were running clinics and prescribing allopathic medicines without a degree in medicine.
The crackdown also witnessed the arrest of quacks whose names did not figure in the list.
Though the crack down has put an end to the activity of the arrested quacks, the issue has once again brought into limelight the persisting menace of quackery in cities, semi-urban and rural areas.
Police sources say the arrested quacks were of two types - with one category of fake doctors posing as qualified medical practitioner and practising allopathy without obtaining any degree in medicine and the second category being those practising allopathy with some certificate in alternate system of medicine.
Medical experts say there have been occasion when the quacks had shifted their operation from one place to another just to escape from being brought to book by the official machinery.
Lack of awareness, illiteracy, easy availability and accessibility of these quacks in rural areas, home visits of quacks, cost and economic factors have all helped fake doctors to continue with their act, say medical professionals.
Some of the quacks get to know about medical terms and allopathic drugs due to their stint in some hospital or in a nursing home for some time and go on to become self-styled doctors. .
Formation of vigilance committees at the grass root-level involving teachers, public, officials and self-help group members could be actively considered in order to tip off the official machinery about quacks besides to create awareness among people, says Dr. M.A. Aleem, Vice-Principal and Head and Professor of Neurology Department, K.A.P. Viswanatham Government Medical College, Tiruchi.
A sustained action against quacks is the need of the hour to put an end to their activity and the State Government should seriously consider starting an Anti-Quackery Wing in the Police Department to have a focussed approach against quackery, says Dr. M.S. Ashraf, past national vice-president of the Indian Medical Association. Punishment should be made more severe against quacks as it involved the lives of people, he adds.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) was in the process of preparing a draft for eradicating quackery.
This will enable the State Government to place a Bill in this regard in the Legislative Assembly, says Dr. K. Prakasam, chairman, Anti Quackery, Indian Medical Association State branch.
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 19, 2010
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