Telangana Medical Council files cases against 21 quacks in one week

Hyderabad: In a sustained crackdown on fake doctors, the Telangana Medical Council (TGMC) has lodged complaints against at least 21 unlicensed medical practitioners. According to the council, these unlicensed practitioners were masquerading as qualified doctors while holding degrees in ayurveda, homoeopathy and other fields.

While five quacks were booked during inspections in Devarakonda town, Nalgonda district, the remaining 15 were found following raids in various parts of Hyderabad, Medak district, Sangareddy district and Vikarabad district. In one case in Devarakonda, a man named Ramesh was found to be operating ‘Padmavati Hospital’ and treating patients while posing as a specialist with MBBS and MD degrees in general medicine from Russia. After an inquiry, the medical council found that he had not submitted any certificates relating to his qualifications.

Another individual, R Ramesh, who was only qualified as an optometrist, was found to be running ‘Akshara Hospital,’ performing eye surgeries and administering antibiotics. In some cases, compounders were found practising as doctors, administering antibiotic and steroid injections and high-dose tablets to people for no apparent reason.

Cases were registered against the quacks at various police stations across the state under sections 34 and 54 of the NMC Act, section 22 of the Telangana State Medical Practitioners Registration Act and BNS sections 18 and 19.

Speaking to TOI, Dr Gundagani Srinivas, vice-chairman of TGMC, said: “According to the NMC Act, only individuals who have completed an MBBS degree and are registered with the medical council can practise as medical practitioners. This is the exclusive right of these graduates, and everyone else is ineligible. However, these quacks operate without an MBBS degree, without having passed the relevant exams or without having registered with the medical council. Instead, they take a few hours of first aid training and register with rural and private medical practitioner associations to become members of those associations.”