Public health: ‘Zero tolerance for quackery’

PHC COO says response to anti-quackery drive phenomenal

LAHORE: Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) COO Muhammad Ajmal said on Saturday that 35,000 establishments have been sealed in a crackdown on quackery.

The establishments included diagnostic labs, herbal clinics and homeopathy establishments involved in medical malpractice across the province.  Ajmal said the PHC had been taking concerted action against quackery. He said the response to this had been phenomenal, especially from homeopathic doctors.

“For the first time they have been accorded recognition due to the efforts of the commission,” Ajmal said.

He said the commission had received scores of complaints regarding the involvement of homeopaths and hakeems in medical malpractice. Ajmal said they had been taking the people for a ride by prescribing medicines and injections. He said the PHC had zero tolerance for quackery.

Whenever, Ajmal said, the PHC had received complaints regarding quacks it had cracked down on them. He said the commission had cancelled the licences of practitioners involved in medical malpractice.

Health Department Spokesperson Ikhlaq Ali Khan said the government had resolved to eradicate quackery to maximise the efficiency of the healthcare system across the province. He said the crackdown had left quacks perturbed as they knew they would be apprehended soon.

Separately, a meeting was also convened to review the maintenance of MSDS standards, the upgradation of rural health centres and the commission’s anti-quackery drive. The technical advisory committee reviewed quality assurance, standardisation and accreditation on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2016.