Surge in medical quackery erodes public trust in the healthcare system: Dr Purohit

New Delhi/Raipur: Dr. Naresh Purohit , Executive Member of the Federation of Hospital Administrators , said that surge in medical quackery erodes public trust in the healthcare system. Once patients fall victim to fake treatments, they often become wary of seeking help from even legitimate medical practitioners, creating a cycle of mistrust and harm. In some cases, patients resort to home remedies or self-medication rather than seeking professional medical advice.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Addressing a seminar titled “Medical Quackery Threat To Public Health” organised by the Raipur based Indian Institute of Management , noted public health expert Dr Purohit cautioned that fraudulent individuals frequently employ deceptive strategies to persuade the public, which can undermine the principles of modern medical ethics. This can lead to significant repercussions for both the healthcare industry and society at large.
Voicing his concern to reporters here after addressing the webinar Principal Investigator for the Association of studies in healthcare averred that quackery is the biggest disease affecting India.
Legislation needs to be brought in to save people from falling prey to fraudulent practices in the name of treatment.

He lamented the fact that hospitals are “being run like companies, where profit-making is more important than service to society”.

“Private hospitals are being opened at an exponential rate. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but there is a glaring need for balance. We are seeing hospitals being run like companies, where profit-making is more important than service to society,” he said

Elaborating his point he added that lack of accessible healthcare is giving space to quacks. Quackery begins where awareness ends. Where there is room for myths, there is room for quackery. Owing to the financial and time constraints, a huge majority of the Indian population approaches these untrained and uncertified doctors.

“India’s quacks imperil lives. Lack of awareness and knowledge, misplaced belief, and sheer inaccessibility has massive ramifications on the health of the country, particularly the rural and under-privileged India”he said

He stated that according to the Indian Medical Association (IMA), some 10 lakh quacks practise in India. This includes compounders, assistants to doctors, lab technicians, medical store owners and vaidyas.
According to a 2017 study that looked at the National Medical Council data, India has just 4.8 practising doctors for every 10,000 people. This ratio, says the paper published in Indian Journal of Public Health, is far lower than World Health Organisation’s earlier claim that there were 7 doctors per 10,000 people in the country.

He pointed that medical quackery is a pervasive problem in India, posing serious risks to public health. As the healthcare landscape evolves, it is crucial to strengthen regulations, increase awareness, and improve access to qualified medical care, especially in rural areas. While it may take time to fully eradicate quackery, concerted efforts from both the government and society can significantly reduce its harmful impact

Experts in the webinar emphasised that combating medical quackery requires a multi-pronged approach that combines stricter law enforcement, public awareness, and improved access to qualified healthcare.

*Dr. Naresh Purohit-MD, DNB, DIH, MHA, MRCP(UK), is an Epidemiologist, and Advisor-National Communicable Disease Control Program of Govt. of India, Madhya Pradesh and several state Health organizations.                                                                                                                                                                                             Dr. Purohit is also Chief Advisor Hospitals Association  of India  and Chief Investigator  Association of Studies for Kidneycare.