Thiruvananthapuram: There are quacks among MBBS doctors who illegally add up additional qualifications to their names without undergoing relevant courses.
And they outnumber any other types of quacks in the state, say senior doctors-turned activists.
As per rough estimates, there are over 40,000 quacks who ‘practise’ allopathy, homoeopathy and ayurveda.
While only MD (general medicine) and endocrinologists are technically qualified to treat diabetics, many doctors who have mere MBBS treat patients in diabetes clinics which mushroom across the state.
The Indian Medical Association has a dedicated anti-quackery squad since years but lacks teeth in successfully reprimanding under-qualified ‘MBBS quacks’ who are mostly their own members.
Health department officials admit that they are yet to devise a system to monitor the authenticity of specialist doctors in private hospitals, including one-doctor clinics.
Several under-qualified doctors practise in hospitals run or managed by senior IMA members in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, say senior doctors.
“We had recently filed a petition against a few diabetologists who have just MBBS. There are also physiotherapists who claim to be doctors. However, cops who are ignorant about Medical Council of India’s regulations do not take action. For them, any doctor with at least some kind of degree is not a quack,” said a Malabar government doctor.
The practice of doctors exhibiting their certificates in their consulting rooms is rarely followed in hospitals in Kerala.
“Even doctors’ prescription needs the MCI registration number printed as per norms.
Many who have just a primary MCI registration have not registered their additional qualifications with the MCI.
This makes it illegal for them to open clinics,” said another senior medical officer.
As per an explanation given by the health department to some queries by Kerala State Human Rights Commission, the government cannot pressurise private establishments to be transparent about doctors’ qualification unless the state enacts a clinical establishments Bill.
The Act that prescribes minimum standards of facilities and services provided by private clinics and hospitals is presently in force in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Jharkhand.
The MBBS quacks, who make use of loopholes in medical laws, escape with minor punishments and negligible fines as low as Rs 1,000 even if they are caught.
