Standing instructions from the state Lokayukta and the arrest of a conman who ran a clinic in Vasai on the virtue of fake degrees, has prompted the health department of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) to wake up from their four-year slumber and launch a drive to weed out quacks who were operating in the twin city.

Interestingly, the quack identified as Hemant Patil alias Hemant Sonawane who was arrested by the Vasai police is a former employee of the MBMC who worked at the civic hospital in 2020 on a contractual basis before being sacked for unruly behavior. Activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by Sandip Rane held an agitation at the civic hospital in Bhayandar seeking action against officials who recruited the quack Hemant Patil without verifying his qualification and antecedents.

“Recruiting the quack in a government hospital is not only playing with the lives of patients, but it also smells of massive corruption in MBMC’s health department. It’s a serious crime. Those involved should be suspended and put behind the bars,” said Rane. Notably, the MBMC had mysteriously refrained from conducting much-needed drives to keep a tab on bogus doctors since 2017. Taking serious note of quacks who can become a reason for a patient's death due to negligence, the Lokayukta has sought an action taken report from civic bodies.

“Process is already on to weed out the menace of bogus doctors from our jurisdiction. If citizens come across any such quacks, they should come forward and inform our health department. We will also recheck the documents of medicos attached to the civic body,” said MBMC chief Dilip Dhole.

As per statistics sourced out from MBMC’s health department, there are around 207 private hospitals and more than 880 clinics and dispensaries in the twin city. However, due to the presence of quacks and unqualified doctors, especially in slum clusters, the number of illegally practicing quacks could add to the figures which is said to be much higher, sources said.

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