Odisha forms anti-quackery team to keep tab on fake doctors

Odisha government has constituted a district-level anti-quackery cell to keep a tab on fake doctors in the State. 

The decision has been taken in a high-level meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena following a directive from the Orissa High Court.

As per the decision, each district will have a five-member anti-quackery cell. Representatives of the Collector and District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police, CDM and PHO, representative of Indian Medical Association (IMA), nominee of the District Legal Service Authority will be the members of the cell.

The district anti-quackery cell will sit as and when required, on receipt of any complaint/information regarding fake doctors from any source, including electronic and print media, social media or caller etc and dispose of the matter. 

The cell will send quarterly reports of such cases and action taken thereon to the Health and Family Welfare department.

Notably, in February, the Orissa High Court had directed the Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Health Department to come up with a comprehensive plan to introduce a surveillance mechanism to identify fake doctors in the State.