TSMC Crackdown: MBBS Doctors Face Action for Letting Quacks Run Clinics in Their Name

In most low-income areas, families—especially those of daily wage workers—tend to approach nearby private clinics and first aid centers for medical assistance. These centers are not only easily accessible but also within reach, with consultations costing as little as Rs 50 to Rs 75. As Urban Primary Health Centers - UPHCs (Basthi Dawakhanas in local languages) remain shut during late nights, locals depend heavily on these small establishments for prompt treatment.

But the Telangana State Medical Council (TSMC) has recently found a disturbing pattern in its anti-quackery checks. Most of these clinics are registered in the name of a qualified MBBS doctor, but actually, the doctor is hardly ever available.

Rather, the patients are commonly being treated by untrained personnel, usually compounders—who don't hold any medical degree or formal education to diagnose or treat diseases. The practice is seriously endangering the patients, particularly when they are not aware that they are not receiving treatment from a qualified expert.

“It’s mandatory for doctors to be physically present and practice at the clinics registered under their names,” said senior officials from the TSMC. “In several cases, this requirement is being blatantly ignored. We've already issued notices to the doctors involved through our Ethics Committee.”

What’s alarming is that this problem isn’t limited to unqualified quacks—some licensed medical professionals are also contributing to this unsafe system by allowing their names to be misused. The TSMC still holds inspections in zones like Kukatpally, Miyapur, Alwal, Medchal-Malkajgiri, and Moula Ali with a view to bringing these activities under check and promoting safer healthcare to the masses.

In March, the Telangana Medical Council (TGMC) went after unqualified doctors, taking 12 Rural Medical Practitioners (RMPs) for practicing outside of their authorized domains.

Hyderabad had eight of these cases, revealing the problem of illegal medical practice even in urban regions. Sangareddy had three, highlighting vigilance in rural regions, and Banswada and Kamareddy had one each, showing the spread even among small towns.

Key offenders included:

• Dundigal: J Jitender (Satvik Clinic) and Shekhar (Shweta Clinic).

• Bachupally: K Aruna Kumari (Buchi Babu Clinic) and Chandra Obul Reddy (Ash First Aid Center).

• Sangareddy: P Kishan Rao (Srinivas Clinic), G Dastagiri (Dastagiri Clinic), and Dr Malka Goud (Manikantha First Aid Center).

• Vanasthalipuram: G Chandrakhala (Smart Cure Center), C Srinivas (Vasu Medical and General Store and Clinic), P Mahesh (Ainush Diagnostic Center), and G Chandra Shekhar (Rajarshi Informary).

• Banswada/Kamareddy: Shivakumar (Dhanvantari Clinic) was dismissed for falsely claiming to be an ophthalmologist while being only a technician.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Sai Sindhuja K/MSM)