PHC seals 1415 illegal treatment centres in province-wide anti-quackery drive

LAHORE - The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has sealed 1,415 illegal treatment centres in a province-wide anti-quackery drive. Over the past six weeks, the Commission's Anti-Quackery Department conducted 6,380 raids across the province as part of its sustained action against unauthorised, unqualified and unsafe medical practices. The enforcement drive, which led to the sealing of 1,153 operational illegal treatment centres, also covered 72 previously-sealed centres, 43 revisited after closures, 62 businesses where quacks had left or abandoned their premises, 118 cases of seal tampering, 10 unregistered treatment centres and four outlets which the district health authorities had already sealed. The PHC teams identified 143 treatment centres, operated by legitimate healthcare practitioners at the time of raids. A further 4,068 treatment centres have been placed under surveillance to ensure that healthcare services continue to be provided by qualified and legally authorised practitioners. The raids also revealed that, overall, 376 treatment centres had been closed, relocated or converted to other businesses following the Commission's enforcement actions. Among districts, Lahore recorded the highest level of enforcement activity, with PHC teams conducting 894 raids and sealing 293 illegal treatment centres. In Kasur, 327 raids resulted in the shuttering of 104 illegal centres. Dera Ghazi Khan recorded 465 raids and 94 sealing actions, while Sheikhupura recorded 252 raids that resulted in the closure of 80 illegal treatment centres. Similarly, PHC teams carried out 206 raids in Nankana Sahib and sealed 64 illegal centres, whereas in Faisalabad, 241 raids resulted in the sealing of 63 illegal treatment centres. A spokesperson for the Commission stated that the anti-quackery campaign was a key public-protection initiative aimed at preventing unsafe, unauthorised and unlawful healthcare practices. 'To date, the PHC has conducted 263,257 raids, sealed 75,015 quackery outlets and 34,675 quacks abandoned their unlawful practices,' he added. The PHC has advised the public to seek medical consultation, diagnosis and treatment only from qualified, registered and legally authorised healthcare practitioners. Citizens are also urged to ensure that the healthcare facility is registered and licensed by the PHC. Suspected quackery and unsafe healthcare practices may be reported to the PHC. Tags: