LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid says there will be zero tolerance for quacks in the province.

“No non-qualified person will be allowed to play with the health of the people,” she said while presiding over a meeting on Tuesday about the working of the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC).

The minister said the PHC should work as an engine of anti-quackery drive and redress of complaints lodged by the masses should be ensured.

Taking notice of lapses in the recovery of fines imposed by the PHC, Dr Yasmin directed its Chief Operating Officer Dr Ajmal Khan to expedite the process. She also sought details of actions taken against quacks so far.

Earlier, Dr Ajmal informed the minister about achievements of the commission. He said the main hurdle in drive against quacks had been the stay orders granted by the lower judiciary.

However, the Supreme Court has recently passed on directions to the district and sessions courts to avoid unnecessary stay orders to quacks, said Dr Ajmal.

The Commission on Tuesday sealed 30 workplaces of quacks in various parts of the province.

A spokesperson said the PHC teams visited 148 treatment centres in Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Lodhran, Sargodha and Pakpattan. As many as 41 out of the visited centres were sealed and 49 quacks found to have switched to other businesses.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2018