Lahore: Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has sealed 1,415 illegal treatment centers across the province during a sustained anti-quackery campaign. According to a PHC spokesperson, the Commission’s Anti-Quackery Department conducted 6,380 raids across Punjab during the past six weeks as part of its ongoing crackdown against unauthorized, unqualified and unsafe medical practices. The enforcement drive resulted in the sealing of 1,153 operational illegal treatment centers. The inspections also covered 72 previously sealed centers, 43 premises revisited after earlier closures, 62 businesses where quacks had abandoned their premises, 118 cases involving seal tampering, 10 unregistered treatment centers and four outlets that had already been sealed by district health authorities.
During the raids, PHC teams identified 143 treatment center being operated by legitimate healthcare practitioners. Another 4,068 treatment centers had been placed under surveillance to ensure that healthcare services were provided only by qualified and legally authorized practitioners. The Commission said that overall, 376 treatment centers had either been closed, relocated or converted into other businesses following its enforcement actions. Lahore recorded the highest level of enforcement activity, where PHC teams conducted 894 raids and sealed 293 illegal treatment centers. In Kasur, 327 raids resulted in the closure of 104 illegal centers. Dera Ghazi Khan recorded 465 raids and 94 sealing actions, while 252 raids in Sheikhupura led to the closure of 80 illegal treatment centres. Similarly, PHC teams carried out 206 raids in Nankana Sahib and sealed 64 illegal centres, whereas 241 raids in Faisalabad resulted in the sealing of 63 illegal treatment centres.
A spokesperson for the Commission said the anti-quackery campaign was a major public protection initiative aimed at eliminating unsafe, unauthorised and unlawful healthcare practices. ‘To date, the PHC has conducted 263,257 raids, sealed 75,015 quackery outlets, while 34,675 quacks have abandoned their unlawful practices,’ the spokesperson added. The PHC advised citizens to seek medical consultation, diagnosis and treatment only from qualified, registered and legally authorised healthcare practitioners. The public was also urged to ensure that healthcare facilities are registered and licensed by the Punjab Healthcare Commission. Citizens have been encouraged to report suspected cases of quackery and unsafe healthcare practices to the PHC.
