PUNE: The health department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has issued show cause notice to the ward medical officer (WMO) of Hadapsar-Mundhwa for deliberate delay in filing an FIR (first information report) against a doctor found running a clinic in the ward without requisite qualification and registration with the Medical Council in violation of the Maharashtra Medical Practitioners Act 1961, officials said on Thursday.
The WMO has been directed to respond to the notice within two days to avoid action as per the provisions of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act 1949, the officials said.
Hindustan Times has seen a copy of the notice served to the WMO by Dr Nina Borade, health chief, PMC. It reads, “You are required to provide a written explanation within two days of receiving this letter regarding the intentional delay in filing an FIR and taking action against the bogus medical practitioner. If the explanation is found unsatisfactory or is not received within the stipulated time, administrative action will be taken against you under section 56(2) of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act 1949.”
Dr Rajesh Dighe, assistant health officer and in-charge of the PMC Anti-Bogus Doctors’ Cell, said that there seems to be a deliberate delay on the part of the WMO. “The inspection and action against the bogus doctor have been pending for long. The WMO is yet to respond to the notice and further action will be taken after his reply is received,” Dr Dighe said.
Hindustan Times had published a news report on this matter earlier in its September 30 edition, highlighting the double standards of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) wherein the civic body was enforcing the Maharashtra Nursing Home Registration Act 1949 in the merged villages but failing to take action against bogus doctors operating in these areas.
{{/usCountry}}Hindustan Times had published a news report on this matter earlier in its September 30 edition, highlighting the double standards of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) wherein the civic body was enforcing the Maharashtra Nursing Home Registration Act 1949 in the merged villages but failing to take action against bogus doctors operating in these areas.
{{/usCountry}}According to officials, the legal department of the PMC on July 26 opined that an FIR should be filed against a doctor found practising in Hadapsar-Mundhwa without requisite qualification and registration with the Medical Council in violation of the Maharashtra Medical Practitioners Act 1961. Thereafter, the PMC Anti-Bogus Doctors’ Cell on August 13 directed the WMO of Hadapsar-Mundhwa to file an FIR against the bogus doctor. However, the WMO went on leave and later on September 4 submitted a letter stating that filing an FIR was not possible as the PMC had not yet taken full control of healthcare services in the merged villages, including Hadapsar-Mundhwa.
Dr Dighe said that after the WMO submitted the letter on September 4, the matter was referred to the PMC legal department which once again opined on September 30 that the WMO should go ahead and file the FIR against the quack. “Following the legal department’s opinion to go ahead and file an FIR against the bogus doctor, orders were given on October 1 to the WMO to file an FIR. The officer was expected to file the FIR within seven days. However, the action was kept pending and the doctor took a transfer to a maternity home,” Dr Dighe said.