When AP quacks dealt a blow to Telangana IMA

"It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend." - William Blake

The Telangana chapter of Indian Medical Association had its face blackened after one of their members, Dr CL Venkat Rao, ex-Charminar IMA president, was seen rubbing shoulders with quacks from Andhra Pradesh in a video that’s doing rounds in social media.

Shocked office bearers of Telangana IMA were quick to lambast Dr CL Venkat Rao, claiming that he derided the dignity of the IMA with loose talk besides violating their association bylaws.

They issued him a show cause notice seeking his explanation in 15 days or else the former was asked to get ready to face both civil and criminal case against him, according to the show cause notice signed by Dr A Bharath Prakash, secretary, Telangana IMA.

Well, the damage seems to have already been done as the IMA leadership has to reap what it had been sowing since ages – the unethical nexus of a good number of allopathy doctors and private hospitals with quacks on commission basis.

For the record, Dr CL Venkat Rao has projected himself as the state president of Telugunadu Community Paramedics Association (TNCPA), an organization of quackery practitioners affiliated to Telugu Desam party.

Worse, the organization is hosting an event with AP chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu to felicitate the latter for legitimizing the services of quacks in Andhra Pradesh with training and certificate courses.

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Toothless Ethics Regulations

There seems to be complete mockery of Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 as Dr Cl Venkat Rao is showing a clear defiance of the following Medical Council of India’s conduct rules.

In Chapter 1, B. Duties and responsibilities of the Physician in general, the MCI’s rules lists out the Character of Physician saying,

1.1.3 No person other than a doctor having qualification recognised by Medical Council of India and registered with Medical Council of India/State Medical Council (s) is allowed to practice Modern system of Medicine or Surgery. A person obtaining qualification in any other system of Medicine is not allowed to practice Modern system of Medicine in any form.

1.2 Maintaining good medical practice:

The physician should practice methods of healing founded on scientific basis and should not associate professionally with anyone who violates this principle. The honoured ideals of the medical profession imply that the responsibilities of the physician extend not only to individuals but also to society.

1.2.2 Membership in Medical Society:

For the advancement of his profession, a physician should affiliate with associations and societies of allopathic medical professions and involve actively in the functioning of such bodies.

1.6 Highest Quality Assurance in patient care:

Every physician should aid in safeguarding the profession against admission to it of those who are deficient in moral character or education. Physician shall not employ in connection with his professional practice any attendant who is neither registered nor enlisted under the Medical Acts in force and shall not permit such persons to attend, treat or perform operations upon patients wherever professional discretion or skill is required.

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