Quack clinics rule the roost

1. 500+ FIRs Registered against fake medical practitioners across Telangana.
2. 300+ Arrests made in the state-wide crackdown on illegal medical practice.
3. 80+ Illegal Hospitals Sealed for operating without qualified doctors or valid licences.
4. Hundreds of Quack Clinics Shut Down following raids by the Telangana Medical Council and Health Department.
5. Up to 1 Year Jail & Rs 5 Lakh Fine under the law for practising medicine without recognised qualifications or registration.

metro india news  I jogipet

The bogey of fake doctors has once again surfaced with raids being conducted by the health officials and the Telangana Medical Council (TGMC). The crackdown has intensified across the state, uncovering a widespread network of illegal practitioners operating without recognized medical qualifications or licenses. The issue came into focus following a shocking incident at the Jogipet Area Hospital in Sangareddy district, where a Deputy Civil Surgeon allegedly skipped his night duty and allowed an unauthorized private individual to treat patients in his place. The State Health Minister C. Damodar Rajanarasimha ordered the suspension of the government doctor and directed officials to register criminal cases against the impersonator.

Recent raids by the TGMC have exposed several cases of illegal medical practice across the state. In the erstwhile Warangal district, officials booked 16 fake practitioners operating first-aid centres in Kazipet, Shivanagar and Karimabad. In Hyderabad, inspections in Saidabad and Singareni Colony revealed that individuals with no medical qualifications, including an Intermediate-fail candidate, were practicing allopathic medicine at private clinics.

According to official figures, more than 500 FIRs have been registered against fake medical practitioners across Telangana so far, while over 300 people have been arrested. Task force teams have also sealed more than 80 hospitals allegedly operating without proper qualifications and shut down hundreds of illegal clinics and first-aid centers.  Health officials say many fake practitioners routinely administer Schedule H drugs, steroids, antibiotics, painkillers and injectable medicines without proper diagnosis to provide immediate relief to patients.  

Despite stringent legal provisions under the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act and the Telangana Medical Practitioners Registration Act, which prescribe imprisonment of up to one year and fines of up to Rs 5 lakh for unauthorized medical practice, the illegal trade continues to thrive. Investigators have also found that several fake doctors were misusing the Telangana Medical Council registration numbers of genuine doctors by printing them on prescription pads to mislead patients and inspection teams. Some were also operating unauthorized diagnostic laboratories and medical testing centers in violation of regulations.

The Siddipet case remains one of the most serious examples uncovered during the ongoing crackdown. Acting on a tip-off, the TGMC vigilance team raided Lalitha Bhavani Hospital in Shivajinagar and found that the accused had allegedly forged MBBS and emergency medicine certificates purportedly issued by NTR Health University. Authorities said he had been treating critically ill ICU patients for nearly a year before his arrest. Health authorities have appealed to the public to verify the credentials of medical practitioners before seeking treatment and urged citizens to report suspected cases of illegal medical practice to help prevent further risks to public health.

Dr. Ramesh who was suspended in Jogipet for allowing unauthorized person to treat patients in his place.