The State Health Department has sealed clinics and laboratories run by 1,436 ‘fake’ doctors (quacks) since 2007 till November 30.
These include practitioners of Allopathy, Homoeopathy, Ayurveda, and Naturopathy, Unani and Siddha, who do not have the necessary qualifications to practice medicine and are running clinics and laboratories illegally putting patients’ health at risk.
Officials said many claimed to hold a degree in a branch of medicine and even operated in well-established nursing homes as consultants apart from running their own clinics.
Most of them would have obtained degree certificates from fake medical universities in other States through correspondence courses and have been in the business for years, officials said.
Bidar tops
According to the district-wise break up collated by the department, Bidar tops the list with 423 fake doctors. Bidar is followed by Kolar and Belagavi where 179 and 170 facilities respectively - run by such fake doctors - have been sealed.
Officials alleged that some of them have also been involved in female foeticide.
More this month
Vivek Dorai, State Deputy Director (Medical Acts), told The Hindu that around 400 more facilities have been sealed this month after Health Commissioner Randeep D. directed District Health Officers (DHOs) to enforce the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act more effectively. This is in the wake of the recent unearthing of a sex determination racket across Bengaluru, Mandya, and Mysuru districts.
“According to the KPME Act, all private medical institutions should mandatorily get a KPME registration. However, it has been noticed that fake doctors who do not have the necessary qualifications to practise medicine are running clinics and laboratories illegally,” he said.
Implementation challenging
“As per Section 19 of the KPME amendment Act, 2017, any person who establishes or runs an unregistered private medical institution is liable to imprisonment for a term of up to three years and a fine of ₹ 1 lakh. While we have information about such practitioners, implementation is challenging as we have limited powers to initiate action. While their clinics are sealed down and equipment seized, they usually come out unscathed due to lack of evidence. This is mainly because of the local community support,” he said.
Dr. Dorai said although there is a proposal to put up black boards displaying ‘fake’ in front of clinics and facilities that are found to be unregistered, there is no provision for this under the KPME Act.
“We will have to get this provision included through an amendment and it is under discussion,” he added.
