The quacks!

- Thinakkural Editorial

(August 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) There are reports that there are more than 40,000 quacks in Sri Lanka, who fraudulently practice, prescribe medicines without even basic qualifications, and 1000's of patients risk their lives every day.

A spokesperson of the Ministry of Health has observed that several patients have become worse and even died following treatment by these quacks.


Four years ago, we remember that the Government Medical Officers' Association raised this issue and stated that there are quacks on the basis of 1 to 4 in the country.

Meanwhile there are quacks from abroad, who pose off as consultants in the medical field, and that is a great threat to the health of the people. The Ministry of Health has failed to take meaningful steps to arrest this trend.

It is our fervent view that the Ministry of Health cannot give excuses. It should act firmly.

(An English translation of the Editorial in Thinakkural, a Tamil daily, based in Colombo)
- Sri Lanka Guardian