Bhubaneswar: Following the order of Orissa High Court, the State Government has formed District Level Anti-Quackery Cell in every district to crack down fake doctors or allopathic practitioners serving in different parts of the district.
This decision was taken at a high -level meeting held recently under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena here. As per the instructions of the Chief Secretary, the Health and Family Welfare Department has issued a notification today.
As per the notification, a five-member panel will have a representative of the Collector & District Magistrate, a representative of SP, Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer, nominee of the District Legal Service Authority and a representation of Indian Medical Association (IMA).
The District Anti Quackery Cell will sit as and when required, on receipt of any complaint/information regarding fake doctors from any source i.e. individual, electronic media, print media, social media or caller etc. and dispose of the matter.
The cell will send quarterly reports of such cases and action taken thereon to the Health & Family Welfare Department.
According to official sources, the High Court has issued orders on fake doctors on 21.12.2022, 22.06.2023 and latest on 27.02.2024 and directed the Commissioner-cum-Secretary Health & Family Welfare Department to come with a comprehensive plan under which survey will be undertaken to ascertain that every allopathic doctor practicing in Odisha possesses the proper and relevant qualification.
It has also directed the Department to file an affidavit on whether any surveillance mechanism to identify the fake doctors is operating in the State? If not, whether the State is contemplating to introduce surveillance?
It was alleged and also in the past found that fake doctors with forged degrees in the workforce of the State for treating patients.
Earlier, the Government has uploaded verified data of allopathic practitioners in the State in the Odisha Council of Medical Registration (OCMR) website for public access.
This will enable the public at large to have a means for verifying the genuineness of doctors by checking their credentials with the online database, officials said.
