Unethical practice: PHC closes 8,557 treatment centres

Teams visited different parts of Lahore, Rawalpindi and Okara and sealed 57 more businesses

LAHORE: In the ongoing crackdown on quacks, the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has closed down over 8,557 fake treatment centres of quacks in Punjab so far and imposed Rs68 million fine on them. According to PHC, the teams visited different parts of three cities during the last three days, including Lahore, Rawalpindi and Okara, and sealed 57 more businesses of quacks. Quacks have been categorised as 29 general quacks, 18 fake dentists, nine hakeems and one bone-setter. In Okara city, 28 quack businesses were closed, which comprised 16 general quacks, seven fake dentists and five hakeems. Nineteen fake treatment centres were also closed down in Rawalpindi, which included nine dentists, six general quacks, three hakeems and a bone-setter. The PHC team had also sealed 10 fake treatment centres in Lahore, which comprised seven general quacks, two fake dentists and a hakeem. The sealed businesses were: Liaquat Clinic, Amin Clinic and Hospital, Rehman Clinic, Al-Hafeez Homoeo Clinic, Hamza Clinic, Al-Rehman Clinic and Fauji Clinic and Medical Store. Also, two dentists, Surgery Dental Clinic and Gaba Dental Clinic, while one Nusharaf Matab were also sealed.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th, 2018.