The State government has informed the Kerala High Court that strict legal action is being taken against quacks in the State.
In a statement here on Monday, the government said it was true that there had been no separate machinery to deal with quackery. At the same, it was not true that the authorities had declined to take steps to prevent the illegal practice by unqualified practitioners in modern medicine. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had in 2003 ordered that no institution under the State or Union Territories should grant any degree or diploma in the stream of medicines which had not been recommended for recognition by the system of medicine in the country.
But, many universities seem to be unaware of such a provision and had incorporated a clause for providing medial practice to certain paramedical courses, including physiotherapy.
The statement was filed in response to a writ petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Thiruvananthapuram, seeking a directive to the State government to constitute a separate department consisting of top State-level police officers, officials of the Directorate of Health Services, and Director of Medical Education to check and examine the cases of quackery in modern medicine and also to oversee medical practice in the State
‘No’ to new council
Referring to a contention of the IMA, the government said that as the cases of physiotherapy could be taken care of by the Para Medical Council, there was no necessity for formation of a separate council for physiotherapy.
The Medical Council of India had issued necessary guidelines restraining physiotherapists from pre-fixing “Dr” with their names.
Necessary instructions had been given to all district police chiefs to take preventive measures and take prompt legal action as and when specific information about quackery was received.
