E-Paper
Operations fail, quacks flourish
A CONFIDENTIAL report sent to the Principal Secretary (Health) has raised a serious question over the effectiveness of the ongoing anti-quack operation in the district.
A CONFIDENTIAL report sent to the Principal Secretary (Health) has raised a serious question over the effectiveness of the ongoing anti-quack operation in the district.
The report was prepared on the basis of information compiled by 20 Community and Primary Health Centres and indicates towards shortcomings in the anti-quack raids conducted by the department.
According to the report, about 200 quacks (unqualified and bare-foot practitioners) have gone missing in the district. The Health Department identified over 440 quacks in the district from 2001-2006, following an order issued by the Allahabad High Court.
Besides, FIRs were also lodged against 243 quacks. But only 13 quacks have been arrested and sent to jail during the last two years. Among them, three unqualified practitioners were arrested in Mauaima, five in Soraon and remaining five in different other parts of the district, the report revealed.
It may be mentioned that most of these arrests were made during the tenure of former chief medical officer Dr Nisar Ahmed. Sources said the Health Department has no information about 200 quacks, who were identified during the anti-quack raids. "Some have either fled the area or shifted their clinics and are running them with different names and identities. But, all this was obviously done in connivance with the local police, who also get major share from the quacks," said the Health Department sources.
Besides, the anti-quack raids have also come under sharp criticism from local people for poor follow-up and the general tendency of the police and Health Department officers for passing the buck on each other.
Chief medical officer Dr Shantimal Singhavi said Health Department's job was to identify and raid the clinics of unqualified practitioners and lodge FIR against them. Further action like arresting quacks and sealing their clinics was needed by the police, he said.
