Petlawad (Madhya Pradesh): Unqualified medical practitioners continue to operate in the less affluent regions of Petlawad town of Jhabua district with impunity, as the local administration turns a deaf ear to check quackery.
Despite having a Civil Hospital, equipped with specialised surgeons, modern machinery, and dedicated doctors, quacks continue to thrive in the town.
A quack, Mandal from Bengal, continues to operate a clinic near the bus stand, reportedly admitting patients despite facing legal action. Over 50 such quacks continue to exploit rural patients, administering injections and medications without proper diagnosis or certification.
The patients who visit these quacks in large numbers consider these people as their first option because of the low consultation fees that the latter charge.
They generally charge less than Rs 500 as a consultation fee, which often includes medicines. The extent of police inaction can be understood from the fact that most of these quacks are practising medicine in broad daylight.
Dr N S Dabi, BMO of Petlawad Civil Hospital, emphasised the urgent need for action against these quacks. Despite past incidents where patients suffered adverse consequences, quacks have been thriving in the town, largely unchecked by health department officials or local administration.
