Pune: Bogus doctors in the city are allegedly putting up signs outside a room saying 'spine will be treated here', 'There will be treatment for hemorrhoids', 'All pain will be treated' and patients were treated and robbed without permission.
What's more, these 'Munnabhai MBBS' in the city are playing with the lives of citizens by putting the title of 'Doctor' in front of their names without a recognized medical council degree. In the last four months, the Pune Municipal Corporation's health department has taken action against four such bogus doctors.
Recently, cases of four bogus doctors from Warje, Manjari, Dattawadi and Dhankawadi have come to light, out of which the doctor from Manjari is absconding.
Action has been taken against these bogus doctors through inspections conducted by PMC medical officers and complaints received from citizens.
Most of the time, these are individuals who have studied other disciplines, while some are also compounders who have worked under accredited doctors. But then he calls himself a 'doctor' and starts treating himself by setting up his own clinic.
Action taken
At Manjari. M K. Bidve, a bogus doctor, holds the BEMS (electropathy) degree. Nevertheless, he continued the medical profession with the degree of doctor. A case has been registered against a bogus doctor at Dattawadi, two days before Diwali, for administering the medicine by performing a pulse test without the approval of the Maharashtra Medical Council.
The deceased has been identified as Pandurang Deodkar (40). A doctor in Dattawadi used to give Ayurvedic medicines to patients when he had a degree in naturopathy. Also, a bogus doctor from Warje was misleading patients by pretending to be a hemorrhoids specialist. Action has been taken against all of them.
Without an official degree in the field of medicine, these bogus doctors give medicines to patients for minor ailments like cold, cough, fever on the basis of partial knowledge. Since these drugs relieve complaints, they also have a rush of patients.
However, they do not have the medical knowledge to screen patients and give them the right medicine. Especially young children, pregnant women, senior citizens may have to face side effects of a drug.
How to identify a bogus doctor
Pathologists who have a degree in a discipline like electropathy, naturopathy are not allowed to put a 'doctor' in front of their name nor are they allowed to give medicines of allopathy (modern medicine). They can only offer traditional methods of treatment. Only doctors with MBBS, BAMS, BHMS, DHMS degree can treat allopathy.
The regional medical officers of the PMC have been instructed to inspect all the clinics and clinics in their area every three months. Citizens should also contact the bmc's health department if they come to know about any information about the bogus doctor, said Dr. Rajesh Dighe, Assistant Health Officer, Pune Municipal Corporation.
