A 45-year-old woman quack was arrested at Manthangal village near Walajah in Ranipet on Wednesday for running an illegal clinic.
Health officials said K. Valli, a long-time resident in the village, had been running the clinic in a room of her house for the past five years. She had been prescribing medicines and giving injections to patients, including children and senior citizens. “The health team seized medical equipment, prescription slips and a stethoscope. She has passed only Class XII,” said Vijaya Murali, Joint Director of Health Services, Ranipet.
At the weekly grievances day meeting held at the Ranipet Collectorate on July 31, a neighbour of Valli gave a petition to Collector S. Valarmathi on the medical wastes being dumped on the backyard of her house every day. Ms. Valarmathi directed health officials to inspect the house and submit a report.
Accordingly, a health team, led by K. Sakthivel, anesthetist, Government Taluk Hospital (Walajah), did a surprise inspection of the house and asked Valli to produce her MBBS degree certificate and certificate of registration with the Tamil Nadu Medical Council. It was found that she did only schooling and gained a little knowledge of allopathy before she ran the clinic. Health officials seized medical equipment and documents and sealed the clinic.
On a complaint filed by the Health Department, the Walajah police filed a case and arrested Valli, who was lodged at the Central Prison in Vellore.
