Keeping the directorates of health services and Ayush at the administrative level for their supportive and coordinating roles for anti-quackery measures, the government of NCT of Delhi has decided to constitute an inspection team with participation of Delhi medical council, Delhi bhartiya chikitsa parishad, board of homoeopathic system of medicine, Delhi council for physiotherapy & occupational therapy and Delhi dental council to assist the competent authority to strengthen the battle against quacks in the national capital.

According to information, the chief medical officer of the district or his designated nominee will be the Lead Officer (LO) of the team. Each district has separate inspection teams with nominees from ISM department and one nodal officer from each of the five councils. The office memorandum of the DHS, signed by Dr NV Kamat, director of health services, government of Delhi says that the inspection has to be carried out in each district at least once in a month or more frequently based on complaints or inputs from any other source, or  as per the decision of the LO. The Lead Officer will call for police assistance if and when required and will forward the report to the respective councils for necessary action.

Each Council will maintain a database of all surveys and mappings conducted by the district inspection team in relation to quackery and carry out the tasks on a regular basis. When a quack is identified on verification by a Council, all the closure proceedings of his/her medical practice in this regard will be initiated by the respective Council under the provisions of law. The primary responsibilities as regulators will continue to vest in and be performed by the Councils in their areas as mandated by the statute, said the DHS memo.

The memorandum says that regarding the quantum of punishment for quackery, the Councils would formulate a proposal for amendment in their respective statutes and pursue with the government for enhancement of the penalty.

The director of DHS has also sought the services of drugs control department. The memorandum insists that the drugs control department should direct its staff on inspection duty to check malpractices on stocking and selling of medicines in illegal or unauthorised manner. They should send monthly report to the lead officer of the anti-quackery inspection team.

Further, the medical superintendent of the nursing home cell of the DHS, Delhi should take appropriate action against nursing homes/hospitals employing unqualified persons as RMOs under provisions of Delhi nursing homes registration act. He should also send monthly report to the lead officer of anti-quackery inspection team.

Meanwhile, members of Indian Medical Association and Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IAPMR) have raised objections in including physiotherapists into the inspection team alleging that they are not medical professionals, but only allied health professionals. They want the government of Delhi to exclude the physiotherapists from the committee of inspection.