Hyderabad: In a decisive move aimed at safeguarding public health, the Telangana State Medical Council (TSMC) has taken proactive steps by filing nearly 300 FIRs against quacks who are running clinics and attending patients without any proper medical degree.
TSMC has clarified that no person without any medical degree will be allowed to practice allopathy and such unauthorized clinics or private practices will be strictly prohibited. The council has also planned raids on the premises of such establishments.
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Usually, the Drug Control Administration (DCA) is responsible for identifying quacks and conducting raids at unauthorized clinics. However, this time the state council members have taken the initiative to punish the quacks by filing FIRs and conducting raids. Currently, TSDCA and TSMC are planning independent raids on fake medical practitioners, reports Telangana Today.
To come up with a proper plan against the fake doctors, TSMC has planned to form special committees, including senior office bearers who will be responsible for investigating any allegation of unethical practices or unauthorized practitioners in nursing homes and other healthcare facilities. The committees will investigate several police cases against quacks and send notices to them or they can approach the local law establishments to take steps against the quacks by lodging FIRs.
Dr G Srinivas, vice chairman, TSMSC told the Daily, “Persons with no MBBS degree but managing to practice allopathy are a great danger not only to patients but also to society. There is every chance of misdiagnosis or a treatment further complicating the health condition of patients. There is no place for such individuals. There are numerous first-aid centres, small clinics, and nursing homes that are run by unqualified individuals in Telangana. They have formed associations and become quite influential.”
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Between January and September, the Drug Control Administration launched 92 cases against these unqualified practitioners, who were also found to be illegally stocking and selling drugs. In September alone, raids were conducted at 26 locations, resulting in the seizure of drugs worth Rs 9.16 lakh, according to VB Kamalasan Reddy, Director General of DCA Telangana.
According to the Daily, the inspectors found higher-generation antibiotics such as Meropenem, Cefadroxil, Cefixime, Cefpodoxime, Amoxycillin, and Ampicillin, as well as steroids like Hydrocortisone, Prednisolone, and Dexamethasone injections. Wholesalers and dealers supplying these drugs to unlicensed practitioners are also liable for punishment under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Kamalasan Reddy stated that stocking and selling medicines without a drug license is a serious offence, with potential imprisonment for up to five years, as per the provisions of the Act.