TS has no unit to raid quacks

Junior doctors say the Telangana State Medical Council (TSMC) has become toothless. The Andhra Pradesh Medical Council has formed an anti-quackery committee which conducts raids; the TSMC has not done this.

Chairman of health reforms Doctors Association K. Mahesh who has filed a writ petition over the delay in holding elections to the TSMC, said not only has the TSMC not formed an anti-quackery committee which conducts raids, but there is no regulation also.

“They haven’t been conducting checks on the people who are illegally running clinics. For so many years no elections to elect the members have been held. The government is electing the members. The members who were nominated by the government have become puppets in the hands of the government. TMSC is only concentrating on registration,” Mr Mahesh alleges.

Chairman of the TSMC Ravinder Reddy said, “After the bifurcation it took another two years for the formation of the Telangana State Medical Council. There is confusion over conducting elections... whether the election was to be conducted for 13 members or five members. Our registrar has written to the government for a clarification. As soon as we get the clarification, we will conduct the elections.”

He added that TSMC does has an anti-quackery committee. “We can only assist the police if we receive any complaint. We will request the cops and district health medical officer to take action. We are not an enforcement authority like the police and can only assist them in conducting raids.