Telangana Medical Council sets up 3 member district panels to curb quackery in State
Hyderabad: With an aim to curb quackery, Telangana State Medical Council (TSMC) has set up three-member committees in every district across the State.
This information has been provided by the Registrar of TSMC while responding to an RTI query raised by the President of the Healthcare Reforms Doctor's Association (HRDA).
In the letter dated April 19, 2023, the Council informed that these District Committees will comprise the DMHo, the president of Indian Medical Association (IMA), and a Doctor from the government side.
The Council has further mentioned that these newly constituted three-member committees are trying their level best to control quackery.
HRDA had earlier raised the issue of quackery and brought it to the notice of the State Medical Council. Medical dialogues had earlier reported that taking cognisance of the issue of unregistered medical practitioners prescribing Scheduled drugs, HRDA had submitted a letter to TSMC and demanded legal action against such quacks.
Apart from this, the association has also demanded the immediate formation of district-wise Anti-Quackery Committees. In fact, HRDA had further warned that it would stage an agitation if their demands were not considered immediately.
Following this, HRDA sent multiple complaints to TSMC through e-mail attaching 100 prescriptions by quacks. Recently, on April 3, 2023, HRDA filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and demanded information regarding- the action taken by Telangana State Medical Council on complaints filed by HRDA on quacks, FIRs filed on those quacks on complaints and the status of cases on quacks in concerned respective courts.
Responding to the queries by HRDA, the Registrar of TSMC, Dr. CH Hanmantha Rao informed, "In this direction Telangana State Medical Council called the senior Doctors from almost all the districts convened a meeting discussing this problem. All the doctors in one voice agreed to cooperate in this moment. Telangana State Medical Council has appointed 3 members committee in each district containing DMHO, President IMA, and a Doctor from government side, and requests to watch on those people and report to the police on various sections accordingly they are taking action."
Addressing the question regarding the FIRs filed on the quacks, the Council stated, "There is no guide line in Suo motto filing, and what happened later on No information."
TSMC further assured that the newly set up district committees are trying their level best to control quackery.
Posing a threat to the sanctity of the medical profession and at the same time diabolically playing with the lives of the susceptible public, quackery is a growing menace in the country which keeps on mushrooming year after year. Under the facade of attractive advertisements and false qualifications claims, such miscreants dupe vulnerable patients, not only in their own operated joints but in renowned hospitals as well.
Taking cognisance of the issue, NMC had last year directed all State Medical Councils to appoint an officer who file complaints before a court or any other authority concerned to take action against quacks.
A circular issued by the NMC on July 14 stated that as per the provisions of the NMC Act, 2019, the act of quackery and the medical practice by a non-registered/enrolled person is a punishable offence under section 34.
''The court will take cognizance of an offense punishable under section 54 of the NMC Act upon a complaint in writing made on this behalf by an officer authorized by the Commission or the Ethics and Medical Registration Board or a State Medical Council,'' the circular issued by Dr Yogender Malik, member of the NMC's Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) stated.
