Quacks to be flushed out

by Carol Aloysius

A mobile tracking system will soon come into force for the first time, as Health Ministry officials tighten their net around medical quacks, as it is claimed there are over 40,000 islandwide.

“We are collaborating with the police and a mobile network system to develop an ‘SMS tracking system’. Through this, patients could obtain information about doctors directly on their mobile phones.

We are also developing a website with details of all registered medical practitioners which will provide doctors’ information online to the public.

This will help the public to identify quacks”, Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) President Dr A. Padeniya told the Sunday Observer. “These medical robbers are thus having a field day hoodwinking the public and the authorities”, he said.

As a further deterrent, he said the GMOA had proposed a five- year imprisonment term for illegal medical practitioners.

“This has now been approved by the Health Ministry and we understand a draft of this is now with the Attorney General’s Department.

In addition, the GMOA has proposed to set up an information centre in collaboration with the Police Department where the public can lodge complaints against quacks.

Under the Cosmetic Devices and Drugs Act (CDDA) those who possess and prescribe western medicine without registration under the Sri Lanka Medical Council will be prosecuted”, he said.

“Taking medicine from these quacks can endanger your health.

The public should thus give its fullest co-operation to track down these quacks,”, he said.