To the attention of the Health Ministry

– Thinakkural Editorial

(September 16, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) It must be said that the Ministry of Health adopts an indifferent attitude in nabbing quacks in the medical profession and bringing them to book.

Although many complaints have been made from all quarters for a long period, no meaningful steps have been taken to check it. There are shocking revelations that the largest number of quacks in the medical field in the world operate in Sri Lanka and the estimate figure is more than 30, 000.

There are allegations that some of the quacks have got the registration certificates of the deceased doctors and are practicing medicines. In some cases, the quacks are qualified nurses or pharmacists and they fraudulently practice as doctors. All these people put innocent patients in great danger.

Meanwhile, the Government Medical Association has charged that the Ministry of Health and the police have failed to take necessary action to bring such culprits to book.

We stress that the authorities must take immediate steps to arrest those quacks who practice medicine illegally and save the people.

(An English translation of the Editorial in Thinakkural, a Tamil daily based in Colombo) - Sri Lanka Guardian