The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) faced criticism after a significant delay in prosecuting a fake doctor accused of practicing without proper qualifications. The PMC's anti-bogus doctors' cell initially received a complaint on May 22, 2024, against an individual practicing electro-homeopathy in Manjari. Allegedly, the practitioner had been prescribing allopathic medicines without possessing the necessary qualifications or registration with a medical council.
Despite clear evidence against the individual, it took the PMC nearly five months to file a police case, allowing the accused to avoid arrest. The PMC formally lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against the alleged quack at Hadapsar Police Station on October 30. Dr. Swati Ghanvat, the newly transferred ward medical officer (WMO) for the Hadapsar-Mundhwa region, submitted the formal complaint.
The PMC’s delayed response is concerning, especially as it allowed an unqualified individual to continue endangering public health,
PMC official
The accused is now under investigation for violating Section 33(2) of the Maharashtra Medical Practitioners Act, 1961, which prohibits medical practice by unregistered individuals. The case has brought the PMC’s management under scrutiny, particularly regarding the delayed action against the alleged bogus doctor.
Upon receiving the complaint, the PMC’s anti-bogus doctors' cell inspected the Manjari clinic on June 27 and discovered that the individual had been practicing medicine unlawfully for approximately three years. Following legal consultations, the PMC’s legal department recommended that an FIR be filed against the doctor. On August 13, the cell directed Dr. Snehal Kale, who was the ward medical officer at that time, to proceed with filing the FIR.
The PMC has been selective in applying health regulations, enforcing them in some merged villages but not in others
PMC Official
However, Dr. Kale encountered multiple obstacles. She went on leave shortly after, and on September 4, issued a letter explaining that filing the FIR had become challenging due to jurisdictional ambiguities. According to Dr. Kale, the PMC had yet to assume full administrative control over healthcare services in the newly merged regions, which included the Hadapsar-Mundhwa ward area where the fake doctor was operating. This jurisdictional delay further postponed any legal action against the individual.
The inaction led to public outrage and calls for greater accountability from the PMC. The issue of jurisdictional limitations in merged village areas has proven problematic in the PMC's governance, with critics arguing that the organization applies selective enforcement of healthcare regulations.
On September 30, the Hindustan Times published a report on the PMC’s inconsistent practices. While the PMC enforced the Maharashtra Nursing Home Registration Act of 1949 across the merged villages, it had failed to act decisively against unqualified practitioners in the same areas.
With these revelations, the PMC’s alleged neglect has exposed wider issues regarding accountability, efficiency, and regulatory oversight within its healthcare division. Public criticism has increased, with citizens calling for more stringent and timely action from the corporation’s anti-bogus doctors’ cell. The PMC’s slow response has raised significant concerns about the protection of public health, especially given the risks posed by unqualified practitioners in the region.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Yash Kamble/MSM)
