Doctors condemn Harish Rao's comments, plan series of protests

Hyderabad: The doctor fraternity has condemned the alleged comments of Health Minister T Harish Rao equating qualified doctors with quacks. Doctors staged protests on Sunday and decided to hold a series of programmes against the government.

At an emergency meeting with all medical associations at IMA Hall, Koti, representatives of IMA, HRDA, JUDA, SRDA, TDF, TEA-Doctors Forum participated in the meeting and strongly condemned the comments made by the minister alleging that he had been encouraging quacks openly jeopardising public health. They demanded him to withdraw the comments and implement all laws to close establishments by unqualified persons/quacks.

The IMA president Dr. Sampath, Telangana Junior Doctors' Association head Dr. Karthik, HRDA chief Dr. Mahesh, secretary Srinivas and others spoke to the media after the protest. They said the Health minister was encouraging quacks; this was not acceptable. Sampath said they got to know that the minister had equated a qualified doctor with a quack and encouraged quacks to practice.

The IMA president said the State government was indulging in unnecessary harassment of registered health establishments. However, after representations from doctors, the government gave two weeks time to establishments to set things right. "The government has a network of health delivery systems with ASHA workers and others to take care of health. Similarly, 60-70 per cent healthcare delivery systems are with private organisations. Clearly, people should either come to government or to private health care. Public health cannot be jeopardised. Don't know whether the government is taking action against unqualified and quacks," said the IMA president.

The doctors have unanimously prepared a plan of action to achieve shutdown of all quack establishments. If the Health minister doesn't withdraw his comments, to demand his resignation. The doctors would be protesting with black badges in all institutions, private clinics, hospitals, government institutions from Monday onwards. They would complain against the Health minister and BJP Telangana chief Bandi Sanjay to the Prime Minister, the Governor and the National Medical Council, the Chief Minister for supporting quackery against law. They would be giving representations to district collectors, DM&HOs, DH and TSMC to shut quacks establishments on October 7.

They would be complaining to the Human Rights Commision on October 8, hold a review meeting by all medical associations on the ongoing plan of action on October 9. They would sensitise all medical college students and intellectuals in the State from October 10 to 13, 'gherao' the Director of Health on October 14, if action is not taken, and hold a public meeting at Dharna Chowk on October 15.