Crackdown on Quacks: Illegal clinics busted in Telangana

Hyderabad: In its continuous battle to eradicate quackery in Telangana, several quacks pretending to be MBBS doctors were found administering medicines to people at illegal clinics putting their lives at risk. 

This came to light in a recent raid conducted by the task force and anti-quackery teams constituted by the national and state medical councils who busted several first-aid centres being run in Maripeda Bangla in the Mahbubabad district. 

During the raid, members of the anti-quackery team and the task force found that these individuals lacked proper medical qualifications and were administering large amounts of pain relief injections. 

Also read- Quackery Crackdown: Telangana State Medical Council Acts Against 55 Quacks

Meanwhile, complaints of performing secret abortions and giving high doses of steroid injections for knee pain were also received by the team. Based on the tip-off, the team conducted a raid in the district. It was alleged that a few quacks closed their centres and fled when they heard of the inspections.

As reported by the Deccan Chronicle, Dr Vemulapalli Naresh Kumar, public relations committee chairman of the Telangana Medical Council, said, "One Kampati Ravi Babu claiming to be a doctor and running ‘Ravi Clinic.' Others included 'Rama Rao Clinic' run by Islavat Rama Rao; B.V. Naik First Aid Centre of B. V. Naik, a DMLT lab technician, and I. Veeranna Naik of Srinivasa First Aid Centre, who administered large amounts of pain relief injections."

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that around 55 quacks were identified in recent surprise raids conducted by the Telangana State Medical Council (TSMC) at first-aid centres in Suryapet and Nalgonda districts. It was found that despite not having any medical degree, they were administering various antibiotics, abortion pills, and steroid injections to patients, in addition to carrying out illegal secret abortion procedures.

Besides, the quacks claimed themselves as doctors by displaying a signboard at their centres which stated they were Registered Medical Practitioners and Private Medical Practitioners. They were found practising medicine at the level of MBBS which goes against the NMC regulations.

Taking action against these individuals who were putting lives at risk by providing medical treatment without the necessary qualifications, the council has registered FIRs under Section 34 and Section 54 of the NMC Act.

Also read- Action Against Quackery: NMC Sets Up 6-Member Committee To Draft Procedural Guidelines