Fake doctor menace haunting people of Odisha CM's home district

Famous author Alexandra Fuller once said 'those who choose to become doctors do it because they have to heal'. It's the profession that carries the highest level of dignity. But in a State like Odisha, it seems to have become more of stealing than healing and obloquy than dignity, thanks to the rising cases of fake doctors.

Surprisingly, most of such cases have been reported from Ganjam- the home district of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik- even though the State health sector has been included in the ambitious initiative of the ruling BJD, 'Mo Sarkar'.

Animesh Biswas, Raju Mandal, Sambhu Sarkar and Durga Dinabandhu are names of such fake doctors who have private clinics where they prescribe medicines to patients like any other doctor. 

None of them has MBBS certificate or any certificate to prescribe medicines but they continued the practice without any hassle for years in different areas of Khallikote and Begunia blocks.

After a slew of allegations these so-called doctors came to the fore, an investigation was carried out only to find that these quacks are mostly residents of West Bengal.

On being asked about their educational qualification and medical certificate, two of them claimed they got the certificate from the West Bengal government but they don’t have it with them currently while another said that he entered into the ‘profession’ after the completion of his Plus 2 examination.

The question now arises as to how they were able to continue their illegal activities under the nose of the administration for years. “I was not aware of these quacks running illegal clinics. We will conduct raids on these clinics and if they are found without valid medical certificates, stern action will be taken against them,” said Ashok Patnaik, local tehsildar. 

Speaking on the matter, Ganjam CDMO Umashankar Mishra admitted to the allegations of fake doctors and ensured that no quack will be spared.