A tribunal has asked the Centre and the Delhi governments to establish an effective system for verifying doctors and taking action against individuals, who falsely present themselves as qualified doctors and provide incorrect treatment (“quacks”) to accident victims.
A Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) was hearing the compensation claim petition filed by Deepak Kumar, who met with an accident in May 2013.
As he had suffered 52 per cent disability in his right upper limb, Presiding Officer Ekta Gauba Mann ordered the National Insurance Company Ltd to pay Rs 31.71 lakh as compensation to Kumar.
While addressing the claim, the MACT also sought police action against a quack who posed as a doctor, administered medication to the victim, and issued fraudulent medical bills.
Upon reviewing Kumar’s original medical bills, the tribunal discovered that the doctor who had treated him had passed away over seven years ago and deemed this fact as “peculiar” and “alarming”.
“It is a very strange fact that the petitioner has been treated from May 15, 2013, to October 16, 2013, by the doctor but the said doctor had expired more than 7 years ago,” it said.
“This is a most dangerous act. It requires to be dealt with by an iron hand as the quack is playing with the life of accident victims which could be saved during the first golden hours if proper medical treatment is given to the victim,” the court said.
The tribunal further stated that a copy of this order should be sent to the Union Health Ministry and the Delhi Health Department, instructing them to establish an appropriate mechanism to verify and take action against quacks endangering public safety.
While the tribunal posted the matter for next hearing on July 9, it said that a copy of the order be sent to the chief metropolitan magistrate, requesting action by the SHO of Prashant Vihar against the impostor.
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