The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) has alleged that there are two quacks for every qualified medical practitioner in the state and has urged the government to take up the long pending Anti Quackery Bill for consideration with due seriousness. The bill calls for a five-year jail term and fine of Rs three lakh for all unqualified practitioners and is expected to strengthen the law enforcement authorities to fight the quacks. According to DMA, there are 40,000 quacks in the Capital as against 22,000 registered doctors.
DMA feels that the government machinery has miserably failed to check the presence of quacks with the existing laws too helpful for the culprits to carry on their activities.
Today, if a quack were to be penalised, all he would have to suffer under law is a fine up to Rs 700 and no imprisonment, it is learnt.
Speaking to Pharmabiz.com, Dr Anil Bansal, president elect DMA said that the association is trying hard to push the government take up the "Delhi Quackery Prohibition Bill 1997" and get it passed in the Assembly.
Though Anti-quackery movement is gaining strength in the state, there is no system to streamline it. In 1997 Anti Quackery Bill was introduced in the Assembly. But the government changed hands soon and the subsequent government did not approve the Bill. Dr Bansal said that a provision to "rehabilitate the quacks" which was central part of the bill needed financial involvement and that was the reason why the Bill got struck.
Delhi government felt that there was a need for rehabilitative measures, as lot of people will be "affected" if the proposed "bill" gets through. It was suggested that the "training and services of these people may be utilized in various systems like government jobs, private sector and through self employment. Soft loans for starting own business, training in disciplines like radiology, operation theatre, ophthalmology, ENT for enabling them to assist senior medical officers, etc were some of the suggestions put forth for the rehabilitation of "quacks".
Interestingly, this clause relating to the rehabilitation of quacks brought in financial implication, thereby calling for more procedural requirements and failed to get through. "The Bill was passed on the last day of the Assembly. There was a provision for rehabilitation of quacks for which financial involvement was there. Bill was to be sent for reconsideration after elections, the new government was not interested in the Bill." Dr Bansal pointed out.
The bill was prepared after a laborious effort by a legislative committee appointed for the purpose. The committee had invited public opinion on the matter and received thousands of letters. In addition to this, all concerned associations like DMA, National Integrated Medical Association, Delhi Ayurvedic Medical Association, All India Doctors Association and All India Medicine Graduate Association were involved in the making of the draft bill.