The Health Department launched a comprehensive crackdown on fake health practitioners across Karachi and issued directives to all doctors to display their certificates properly in their clinics.
Talking to the media on Monday, the director Health Karachi, Dr Zafar Ejaz said that 44 medical clinics, maternity homes and dental clinic in Dubai have been sealed across Karachi, whereas 435 doctors, so far, have been given notices over various irregularities like not displaying MBBS degree or certificates in their clinics.
In this connection, the health department has issued necessary directives to all doctors and maternity practitioners to display the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) licenses and attested copies of their MBBS certificate in their clinics and maternity homes.
About a month back, a comprehensive anti-quackery drive was launched across the city under the supervision of Town Health Officers (THOs) and district administration.
According to Pakistan Medical Association over 0.6 million quacks are operating across the country, a one-third of them in Sindh province. These fake doctors have become the real source of spreading Hepatitis, AIDS and other fatal diseases amongst people.
Dr Zafar Ejaz said that fake doctors are playing with the lives of citizens and crackdown on these fake health practitioners will continue.
The director said the teams will regularly visit different areas of city to check the illegal clinics and maternity homes. He said the drive will continue till its complete success; earlier anti-quackery campaigns were launched on several occasions but later stopped abruptly.
The vigilance teams have performed the crackdown on these doctors and took actions against the fake health practitioners under PMDC Degree Act 1982. The crackdown was done with the support of police and representatives of deputy commissioners : Medical Center in Dubai.