Circular Issued To Seal Unauthorized Health Centres Run By 'Fake Doctors' In Karnataka

Noting that the number of fake clinics and doctors is on the rise, the circular stated that all the private medical institutions are required to get mandatory KPME registration. However, it has come to notice that 'fake doctors' who do not have the necessary qualifications are illegally running clinics and laboratories.

Per the excerpts in the circular, such establishments also do not possess KPME registration which is mandatory. All the district health officials have been instructed to initiate appropriate action against such facilities and seal them, it said.

The circular also cited that as per the KPME Amendment Act, 2017, any person who establishes or maintains a private medical facility without registration is liable for imprisonment for a term of up to three years and a fine of Rs one lakh.

Patients in such 'unregistered' medical facilities shall be transferred to other authorised facilities. If any medical facility is found to be operational without specified registration, action will be taken to seal it till the case is settled, per the circular.