Fake dentist 'practising' since 8 months arrested

KOLHAPUR: Police on Tuesday arrested a man from Punjab for allegedly "practising" as a dentist for eight months without a proper licence at Bambawade village in Shahuwadi taluka, around 50km from here.
Accused Sardar Swaransingh is originally from Jalandhar in Punjab. He failed to provide licence or proper certificate supporting his practice when police asked him to do so.
Police said Swaransingh admitted that he worked as an assistant to a dentist at his native place in the past.
According to police, he used to ask passengers at ST bus stand and other transit places whether they are suffering from dental problems. Police also found some surgical equipment, medicines and dummy teeth made of acrylic or fibre on him at the Bambawade ST stand.
Rahul Patil, sub-inspector of the Shahuwadi police station, said, "Local dentists had complained to the taluka health officer and block development officer about the accused. He used to visit bus stands, catch the attention of people and offered to provide dental treatment at low cost. We will file charges against him after discussing the case with our seniors."
As per rules, practitioners not having valid certificates such as registration under the Maharashtra Medical Council, Bombay Nursing Act, Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act or Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act are considered fake. The registration is issued based on the graduation or post-graduation certificates and practising experience.
The medical fraternity has expressed concerns over the increase in the number of such fake doctors.
Pravin Hendre, president of Kolhapur Medical Association (KMA), said, "It is crime to provide medical treatment without any proper registration or certificate. We expect more number of complaints against such people and the administration must take necessary action. These quacks mostly work in rural and remote areas where even primary treatment is not available. To prevent people from falling prey to such quacks, the administration should ensure that qualified doctors are deployed to provide all the necessary treatment.
In Sangli, the district administration has decided to give cash award of Rs 500 to those making complaints against fake doctors. Moreover, the administration has also decided to publish a list of qualified and registered medical practitioners on its website for the public. The KMA expects that similar efforts will be taken by the Kolhapur district administration to reduce the number of quacks.