THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “There is nothing called a virus or a bacteria. It is fiction created by the drug lobby to fleece you,” says a self-proclaimed ‘Ayurveda doctor’ based in Alappuzha.
The visuals of him making outrageous claims against established scientific knowledge is going viral on social media with it being circulated by people who are sceptical about medical practices, be it Allopathy or Ayurveda, or those who are looking for quick remedy from chronic illnesses. The ‘doctor’ who is candid about his previous occupation as a plumber in another visual clip is also opposed to all vaccinations.
Another quack who has a flourishing practice in the coastal belt of Neyyattinkara boasts of degrees such as SMP, RMP (IBAM), AAMP and RSMP. The Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) is not aware of the authenticity of these degrees or whether they are approved by the Medical Council of India. Nevertheless, more patients are reaching out to the quack for consultation, thanks to commission agents working for him.
AMAI, the official organisation of Ayurvedic practitioners, is worried about the influence of quacks on people. They feel quacks not only bring disrepute to Ayurveda, but they are also worried about public health being endangered through questionable medical practices.
“Initially, the quacks offered massages using medicated oil,” said Dr V G Udayakumar, executive committee member of the Central Council of Indian Medicine. “Now, they are offering miracle cures for cancer and tuberculosis. The danger is, patients who have been undergoing treatment from a qualified doctor will discontinue that and fall for the miracle drug offered by quacks.”
According to him, the vaccination programmes of the government, especially in Malappuram, have suffered due to the false propaganda by quacks.
The AMAI accuses unauthorised practitioners for ‘spiking’ the drugs they give to enable quick relief. But this comes at the cost of health. “Many ayurvedic preparations have heavy metal content,” said Dr Josekumar, state member of AMAI. “While making the medicine, great care is given to purifying the metals of its toxicity. Quacks, with their questionable combinations, could wreck the health of patients.”
“The quacks can go scot-free with a penalty of Rs 25 under the Travancore-Cochin Medical Practitioners Act,” said Udayakumar. “The Police are reluctant to slap cases without sufficient support from the Health Department.”
And it becomes a vicious cycle: the popularity that quacks enjoy prompts them to continue practising with impunity. “The modus operandi of quacks has changed over the years,” said Josekumar. “They have used social media effectively to increase their reach.”
When he tried to bust the claims of a quack on social media, Josekumar was inundated with calls and messages from various quarters saying how good the quack was. In another instance, the police arrested a quack from Parippally in 2012 based on the complaint filed by the AMAI. “But returned after a few days in police custody. He now has a flourishing consultation and his patient list includes jail officers,” said Josekumar.