KARACHI: Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) Anti-Quackery Unit increases its actions across the province on the vital mission to eradicate ‘quackery‘.
The Directorate of Anti-Quackery has geared up the pace by identifying ‘new quackery outlets ’ under the full support of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and the District Government.
As per YTD results, the SHCC Anti-Quackery Unit has taken decisive actions to curb ‘Quackery’. From July 2018 to September 2021, there were approximately 11000 inspections conducted in the province.
Post September 2021 till date, the scope of operations grew by 110% with approximately 24000 Inspection and Enforcement (I&E) actions on ‘quacks’, all over Sindh.
Under section U/S 60 of the SHCC Regulations 2017, the role of executive authorities to come in aid of the Commission has become a top priority goal in order to take sustainable actions on ‘Rampant Quacks’.
“ SHCC Directorate of Anti-Quackery will further increase its scope of operations to promote health as a basic human right”, stated Director Anti-Quackery Mr. Syed Zeeshan A Shah.
Under Section U/S 39(G)(H), SHCC, 8205 unauthorized healthcare establishments (HCEs) were sealed by SHCC teams, and approximately 3000 illegally de-sealed outlets were resealed as per law.
Moreover, 7508 warning notices on non-compliant (HCEs) healthcare establishments, to bring them under compliance with the law. 5080 HCEs were checked to be functioning as per laws under the SHCC Act 2013.
On July 23, SHCC formed a ‘Joint Task Force ‘ joint task force to conduct targeted operations in Larkana Division to combat HIV in identified red zones.
This operation was launched under the directives of the health ministry, which resulted in strict actions against ‘rampant quackery’ where over 1300 illegal clinics were sealed in 17 weeks.
This year, more manpower support is expected to arrive enabling SHCC to increase its field force across the province, in line with the vital mission to combat ‘Quacks’. Lodgment of FIRs against multiple offenders is also being initiated under section U/S 39(H)(III) as per law.
With the Commissioners’ Office and IG Office on board, future collaboration is expected to formulate an ‘Anti-Quackery Squad’ where special police force work as with SHCC as a dedicated law enforcement vigilance force, to help build pace and momentum of operations to further ‘ban quackery’ in the province.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
