The crackdown by Health department officials in Vellore district resulted in the arrest of 17 quacks operating without any qualification to practice medicine. Another 29 persons are on the run and efforts are on to nab them as early as possible, said District Collector, A. Shanmuga Sundram on Monday.
After receiving numerous complaints, 35 special teams headed by a doctor from department of health, raided several places in the district and arrested 17 quacks on Sunday.
The raids were conducted on the basis of complaints received by Mr. Sundram through WhatsApp and the Health department’s collection of details on the suspects. The officials recovered medicines and medical equipment and have sealed their clinics.
The raids revealed several lacunae in the system of administration. Quacks were found spreading their business by adopting different methods.
In Konavattam, an Unani practitioner was found operating his clinic for years using a government hospital doctor’s name board and registration number. He fled the place on hearing about the raids.
In Ranipet, a woman was running the clinic in the name of her husband, a practising doctor.
“The name boards and prescription sheets should bear the registration numbers of the doctors issued by the Indian Medical Council. The pharmacists and druggists would be instructed to adhere to these instructions and they should not issue medicines if the numbers are not found in the prescriptions,” Mr. Sundram said and he added to say that orders have been issued to make it compulsory.
Department officials pointed out that many of the arrested quacks were previously paramedics in private hospitals or had worked as pharmacists. As their consultation fees were meagre compared to what was charged in hospitals, people consulted them in large numbers.
Joint Director of Health Service, Vellore, Yasmin, said, “As many as five quacks operating in Tirupattur, three in Thimmapet (Vaniyambadi), four in Baradharami, and one each from Machampattu, Melpatti, Sumaithangi, Panapakkam and Anaicut were arrested with the help of local police.”
The Collector said the raids would be conducted regularly as part of the preventive mechanism to stop unqualified persons from playing with the lives of residents. He urged the people to approach primary/urban health centres and government hospitals for treatment.
