(COLOMBO) – There are an estimated 40,000 medical quacks currently operating throughout Sri Lanka, a leading health care professional’s trade union warned on Thursday and called on the relevant authorities to rope them in at the very earliest.
In a statement the Government Medical Officer’s Association (GMOA said: “In Sri Lanka, the practice of medicine has to be strictly regulated, requiring individuals to possess a valid registration with either the Sri Lanka Medical Council, Ayurvedic Medical Council, or Homeopathic Medical Council, and meet required qualifications. Those practicing without such registrations are deemed fake doctors, posing a grave risk to public health.”
Despite existing legal frameworks ostensibly aimed at curbing this menace, enforcement remains a significant challenge, it added.
The GMOA highlighted a dearth of both legal provisions and human resources dedicated to identifying and prosecuting bogus practitioners, exacerbating the problem.
The Association underscores the need for concerted action, proposing measures such as public awareness campaigns, dedicated hotlines for reporting, legal reforms, and specialized enforcement teams comprising health officers empowered to conduct raids.
However, the GMOA lamented on the Ministry of Health’s lethargic response to the crisis, decrying the lack of urgency in addressing the issue.
Furthermore, the GMOA raises alarms over the emerging trend of unregulated medication distribution by private pharmacies, warning of the grave risks posed to public health. While certain medications may be dispensed without a prescription, the indiscriminate provision of drugs without medical oversight poses significant dangers.
