Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Uruzgan Health Chief Contends Unable to Stop Quacks

Uruzgan Health Chief Contends Unable to Stop Quacks

TIRINKOT - Without any qualification or degree, some individuals are working as doctors and nurses in various parts of central Uruzgan province, including the provincial capital, Tirinkot, putting at risk the lives of many people, residents say.
The residents complain the lack of attention and monitoring on the part of the provincial public health department, the number of quacks in the province has increased, fleecing the mostly uneducated people.
On the other hand, the government-run hospitals and clinics have been struggling with various problems including lack of doctors, medicines and other facilities, allowing the untrained medical practitioners to operate privately.
While all state-run hospitals and clinics across Uruzgan had been shut for three months during this solar year after the Taliban ordered so.
Mohammad Nasim, a resident of Chora district, told Pajhwok Afghan News that a man who formerly served as a prayer leader was now dispensing medical advise and selling medicines on people at his private clinic in the district bazaar.
He said dozens of people daily visited the fake doctor and so far no public health department official had taken notice of the activity.
The residents of Tirinkot say a large number of fake doctors have opened their private clinics in the city. One of them, Aminullah, said there were three private hospitals and dozens of clinics which operated without any legal permission.
He said a number of maternity centers were operational in the city but doctors and nurses in these facilities did not possess any qualification or degree, putting at risk the lives of mothers during childbirth.
Civil society activist, Javed Khpalwak, said the provincial public health department was weak to the extent that it could not monitor or prevent fake doctors from operating.
Officials at the provincial public health department contended that they could not put hand on the quacks because they had the backing of powerful individuals and warlords.
Acting public health director Saifuddin Barak said there were persons who could not even write their names but they had opened clinics and were advising treatment to mostly illiterate people.
The director admitted stopping the quacks was beyond their ability because powerful individuals and warlords were behind them.
However, the provincial council rejected the public health director’s remarks as an excuse to keep his job. Amir Mohammad Barakzai, the council head, said the public health department had so far not complained to the council about the issue.
He claimed the provincial council could cut short the hands of powerful individuals supporting the quacks. He alleged the public health department officials were complicit in the illegal practice and that was why the quacks openly operated. (Pajhwok)