Daily Times

The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has sealed 5,620 quackery outlets out of a total of 18,300 plus treatment centres that it visited across the province during the last six months.

According to details, as per the census, out of the visited centres, over 5,400 quacks had closed down their quackery outlets to start other businesses. Moreover, the district administrations had also inspected 3,130 premises and sealed over 1,500 outlets under the PHC Act 2010.

Collectively, since April 17, 2018, both the PHC and district authorities had inspected 21,486 treatment centres and sealed over 7,000 quacks’ businesses. The PHC teams had sealed the maximum number of 845 quackery outlets in Lahore, 447 in Faisalabad, Gujranwala 368, Sheikhupura 360 and 350 were closed down in Kasur.

Moreover, the commission had so far received more than 2,900 desealing applications for further action. So far, a fine of more than Rs 119.66 million had been imposed on the quacks. It is also pertinent to mention that since July 2015, the PHC has closed down 15,746 quackery outlets.

Published in Daily Times, September 21^st 2018.