Doctors turn to social media to counter quackery

A doctor says they have joined hands with regulatory bodies to deal with mafia

LAHORE: A group of Lahore’s well known doctors have started a WhatsApp group to eradicate quackery which is thriving in the city with each passing day.

Dr Salman Kazmi, who works at the Mayo Hospital, while talking to The Express Tribune said that more than 13,000 quacks were still working, while the health department had taken very few steps to eliminate this menace of society.



“We have made a social media group and included all the stakeholders, including journalists, senior doctors, representatives of health department and Punjab Healthcare Commission,” he added.

Dr Kazmi said that due to this group, doctors and officials were on the same page and now it was the responsibility of healthcare commission to take action against the quacks when pointed out. “Even citizens can contact us, if they see any such business being run in their neighbourhood.”

“All our seniors did nothing but sat on fancy sofas and criticised quacks, but we decided to take practical steps and joined hands with the regulatory bodies to deal with the mafia,” he added.

Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) Chief Operating Officer Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan told The Express Tribune that the operation against quacks was continuing and now the PHC had started a crackdown against these businessmen who were working in posh areas. “The menace has already spread in our society and its eradication will take some time.”

He said that now they were arresting fake clinic owners, fake cosmetic sellers and fake hospital runners.

“According to our criteria, those who are not recognised by the PMDC, are fake and they will have to shut down their clinics,” he said.



He added that the PHC has registered an FIR against the owner of a Neuro Centre for submitting fake documents with the PHC, which also sealed the clinic on Friday.

According to the details given by PHC, Shahid Hussain Sheikh had submitted documents for registration of the Neuro Medical Centre, located in Shadman-II. When the commission approached Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) for the verification of his registration with the council, the latter confirmed that Sheikh’s registration certificate was fake. Upon commission’s complaint, Shadman police station registered an FIR under sections 420/468/471 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2017.