Rohit Shishodia
Indian Health Ministry’s recent revelation that India has 57.3% unqualified doctors, has received flak from doctors. They have asked why past or present governments did not take any action against these quacks. The doctors said that this data is appalling and alarming.

They have expressed the apprehension that the recently enacted NMC Act may legalize the quacks. They said that this figure of unqualified doctors is huge and government should take action against them.

Dr Sunil Arora, General Secretary, Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA)-India, has said that certainly the data is shocking and aggressive measures should be taken to produce qualified doctors to serve the population.

“But the recent developments in NMC are intended to manipulate the data itself. It is more the game of numbers than providing quality and affordable healthcare. All the abovementioned quacks would certainly be practicing as mid level health care providers under this new NMC Act,” said Dr Arora.

“It spares government from acting against these quacks and improves the number of healthcare providers markedly. So, a win win situation for the government. The general population will be on receiving end and health care service will further deteriorate to irreparable level,” he added.

Dr Ravindra Chouhan, Senior Member of FORDA-India, said that these 57.3% quacks are playing with lives of people by giving them antibiotics and heavy injections of steroids without knowing them. They don’t have any concept of medicines, he added.

“But government wants to legalize them through NMC Act, instead of opening new medical colleges and increasing the number of seats and PGs,” he added.