Sunday, 3 February 2008

IMA snaps at Naidu for backing quacks


By U Sudhakar Reddy

Hyderabad. Jan. 30: The Telugu Desam president, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, faced the ire of Indian Medical Association and the doctors' community for his decision to support quacks, popularly known as RMPs and PMPs.
The Andhra Pradesh Medical Council and the AP Private Nursing Homes Association joined the IMA to condemn Mr Naidu's support to the quacks. On Tuesday Mr Naidu had demanded that the government should utilise the services of quacks in villages.
There are around 1.5 lakh unqualified practitioners in the state who can influence rural vote banks.
According to the AP Medical Council, there are around 58,000 qualified doctors. After excluding those who left the country and those who are dead, the number would be about 40,000.
The APMC member, Dr K. Ramesh Reddy, said, "Quacks are totally unqualified and do not have basic training in medical sciences whether it is allopathic or Indian system of medicine."
"Most of these people worked as compounders or ward boys with qualified doctors. At any cost they can not claim to be doctors and can't be trained," Dr Kumar said.
"They may be used as paramedical staff. They should not run any clinic and if they do it is illegal and punishable under law," he said.
"There is nothing like a condensed training course. If these quacks are allowed to practise medicine it will risk the lives of patients."
He asked the government to provide infrastructure to the doctors to run clinics in rural areas.
The Indian Medical Association's city secretary, Dr P. Pulla Rao, said, "A court case is pending regarding the qualification of quacks. The government also told the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council that there are no plans to recognise quacks."
"For political mileage the parties are raking up these issues and giving assurances. Instead of punishing the quacks they are trying to regularise them, which is not acceptable," Dr Pulla Rao said.
The Andhra Pradesh Private Nursing Homes Association president, Dr Y. Ravindar Rao, said, "Nowhere in the world are unqualified persons given permission to practice. Taking a small test and issuing a certificate is not correct."
"If the government or the Opposition does this for political mileage it is incorrect," he said.
The RMPs and PMPs may be used as health workers to distribute tablets and perform first aid.
"They should not be allowed to practice, diagnose and prescribe," he added

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