VIJAYAWADA: Taking a serious view of a botched abortion that led to the death of a woman in Yerragondapalem of Prakasam district, the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council on Friday announced a comprehensive probe into the incident and warned of stern action against illegal medical practices and quackery.
The Council responded after reports surfaced indicating that staff carried out the abortion procedure while a doctor was allegedly providing instructions over the phone.
AP Medical Council Chairman Dr Garlapati Nanda Kishore stated in an official release that the council’s Anti-Quackery Committee, headed by Dr Subba Naidu, will verify the facts of the tragic incident and initiate appropriate legal and disciplinary action within the council’s mandate.
Reiterating that unauthorised medical practices will not at all be be tolerated, Dr Nanda Kishore clarified that valid medical qualifications and official registration are mandatory to practice modern medicine, prescribe drugs, or perform procedures like abortions.
Citing Section 20 of the Andhra Pradesh Medical Council Act and Section 34 of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019, he stressed that practising medicine without valid credentials is an offense, adding that the Anti-Quackery Committee will coordinate with the health department officials, the district administrations, and the law enforcement agencies to crack down on every bogus practitioners.