LAHORE: In its campaign for eradication of quackery, the Punjab Healthcare Commission on Monday sealed 28 centres of quacks while allowing 17 clinics being run by qualified and registered practitioners to continue.

The raids were conducted on 45 centres in 14 areas of the city and 28 dental clinics, laboratories and allopathic clinics were found unqualified to render any kind of medical services, said a spokesperson while adding that further proceedings against them had also been initiated.

The sealed clinics included Hafiz Shifa Jarahi and Ahmad Jarahi Shifa Khana (Chungi Amar Sidhu), Madina Medical Store and Bhatti clinic (Satellite Town), Irfan Medical and Tariq Medical Store (Youhannabad), Chaudhry Medical Store (Gajumatta), Al-Noor Dental and Optical Centre, Healthcare Clinic and Muhammad Ashraf Clinic (Qainchi Bazaar), Madina Homeopathic and Diagnostic Lab, Fatima Lab, Ahmad First Aid Centre and Sardar Jee Younani Dawakhana (Green Town and Baghariyan).

Shalimar Laboratory on Shalimar Link Road, Siraj-ul-Sehat and Tariq Medical Laboratory in Daroghawala, Hashmi Medical Store in Fatehgarh, Al-Shifa Clinic in Hameedpura, Afzal Butt Jarrah in Salamatpura, Mian Medical Store and Clinic in Begum Kot, Riaz Haddi Jorr, Chaudhry Hospital and Ultrasound and Maternity Home, Sheikh Imran Haddi Jorr, Homeo Doctor Shaheen Arif, Smile Dental Clinic, Ameer Millat Medical Store and Eitmad Clinic in Wagah Town were also sealed.

Quoting PHC Chief Operating Officer Dr Ajmal Khan, the spokesperson said the commission in its well-coordinated anti-quackery campaign had so far closed down more than 5,600 businesses of quacks and imposed a fine of Rs34 million on them.

“During the last three weeks, the PHC teams visited more than 200 clinics and sealed 125 of them for being involved in illegal practices,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2017