The health authorities and the district administration have turned a blind eye to quacks running their clinics in lowincome localities, citizens said during a survey conducted by The Express Tribune.
The authorities have even taken no action against roadside ‘dentists’ playing with the lives of people by spreading fatal diseases like hepatitis and HIV Aids, residents of the Saddar area said. The quacks offering dental, ear and ophthalmic services have occupied the footpaths across yet the authorities take no action against such dealers of death. Moreover, paramedical staff and technicians posing as doctors are running clinics.
Even though the Lahore High Court (LHC) has imposed a ban on the clinical practice of nurses, technicians, midwives and lady health visitors (LHVs), the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has failed to implement the court orders in Rawalpindi district and stop illegal activity. The PHC is authorised to seal clinics run by fake medical practitioners and it has the power to recommend suspension of assistant commissioner (AC), drug inspector, and deputy health secretary of the area if they fail to eliminate quack clinics in their jurisdiction.
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The commission is authorised to seize the equipment of a clinic run by an unauthorised person and impose a penalty not less than Rs50,000 on fake doctors. However, in several innercity areas of Rawalpindi, the quacks are treating people for different ailments and diseases fearlessly. Even the maternity homes are running under the supervision of midwives in several areas of all seven tehsils of Rawalpindi district.
The technicians and dispensers of different hospitals are operating clinics and even rendering medical services on footpaths. They are becoming a reason for the spread of deadly transmissible viruses and diseases including hepatitis. A number of quacks use acidic medicines to wash eyes which eventually result in loss of eyesight of their patients while many fake medical practitioners are a source of causing mouth cancer as they use the same equipment, and that too wrongly, for replacement of teeth or their cleaning.
The same is the case with quacks treating nose and ear ailments, eventually depriving people of these senses or impairing sensitive organs. In this regard, District health Authority (DHA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Fouzia told The Express Tribune the teams conduct action whenever they receive a complaint about quacks. She said action was being taken against medical technicians, dispensers, midwives, and LHVs running private clinics without having the required degrees and certificates.
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