Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Aug 1: The surfacing of fake doctor in north Kashmir could just be a tip of the iceberg as there is no check on doctors from other states practicing in private hospitals of the state.
The self-proclaimed doctor, a resident of Pattan according to video was practicing as orthopaedic doctor claiming to be MBBS from MTR university Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh, and MS from Rajiv Medical College.
It has surfaced that the imposter was not even a graduate and had been illegally practicing for the last several years across north Kashmir.
Following a complaint by the block medical officer Pattan, the police station Pattan lodged FIR 156/2018 against the imposter doctor under sections 420, 336 RPC.
However, sources within the Health Department say that this could just be tip of an iceberg.
"There is no check on non-local doctors practicing in private hospitals in Jammu Kashmir whether they were holding genuine degrees. If credentials of non-locals are verified, many could turn having fake degrees," an official of Health Department said.
As per the rules, it is mandatory for every doctor to obtain state counsel registration before doing the practice in the state. The registration is only being issued once the Directorate of Health Services verifies the degrees from the Medical Counsel of India and the concerned institutions, but the practice is not being followed.
"We don't know the credentials of the outside medicos serving in private hospitals and clinics. There must be accountability from where these doctors have received the degrees," the official said.
The Health Department has issued directives to private hospitals to provide the details of medicos serving there. "They only provide the details of local doctors but not of the doctors who come from different parts of the country and treat patients in these hospitals," the official said.
If there is any negligence on part of non-local doctors, the official said they could be charged with "murder charges" as they practicing "illegally".
Earlier this year, two local doctors were found having fake degrees after the DHSK conducted their verification. "One among them is female who claimed of having obtained MBBS degree 15-years-ago from Russia. When the verification was conducted, her degree turned out to be fake," the official said. |
