HYDERABAD: Thirty-five-year-old Bhagyamma who works as a farm labourer in a village in Nizamabad approached the Primary Health Centre, located 35 km away when her skin began turning yellow. The doctor, after conducting tests on her, diagnosed her problem as jaundice. The doctor later learned from her that she was using steroids prescribed by a quack which had also damaged her liver.
The unavailability of government doctors and lack of facilities in PHC and government hospitals seem to be the reasons why patients living in rural areas and slums in the city prefer taking consultations from quacks.
“There has been a serious shortage of doctors in villages for a long time. Now when MBBS doctors are ready to work here, the union of quacks supported by local leaders do not let them,” said a Mandal Medical Officer. Two private clinics set up in his village with permission were taken over by quacks, he revealed.
Reportedly, the quacks even get a commission from corporate hospitals for referring a patient to them.
Some of the quacks include Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs) and Paramedical Practitioners (PMPs) who treat patients, prescribe drugs and perform medical surgeries like abortion and others without medical knowledge.
“Instead of encouraging quacks, why can’t the government provide more doctors in rural parts,” asked Dr Mohammed Iqbal Jaweed, a senior consultant and member of Osmania alumni.
According to him, RMP in itself is a wrong term to use since quacks do not register themselves anywhere. They either read some books on medicine or work as non-medical staff in some private hospitals and start practising in villages.
People go to these quacks as the high-dose medication prescribed by them helps the poor to relieve themselves from pain and work to earn their daily wages. However, encouraging them is like supporting untrained gun holders, Dr Jaweed added.
Hakeem babas
Since the in-patient services at Osmania General Hospital are closed, the number of quacks in the old city has increased as thousands of auto drivers, daily wage workers and beggars have turned to the hakims and babas for treatment.
DOCS’ BODY TO MEET HARISH OVER RMP ISSUE
Hyderabad: Associations of doctors who have been on a warpath over Health Minister Harish Rao’s statement backing registered medical practitioners (RMPs) to treat patients for all ailments except performing abortions and minor surgeries, are likely to meet him on Tuesday.
Following directions from Harish Rao, Dr Rajalingam, Chairman of Telangana State Medical Council and Dr Ajay Kumar, Commissioner of Telangana Vidya Vidhan Parishad, met on Monday to discuss the issue. “The officials have agreed to arrange a meeting of associations of doctors with the minister,” said Dr Vanya Jasmine, General Secretary of Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA).