PHC seals 198 quacks’ stores

LAHORE: Punjab Healthcare Commission carried out raids on 2,028 treatment centres in 32 districts and sealed 198 illegal outlets during the last three weeks.

Out of the visited centres, 101 were found to have been functioning legally since qualified physicians were treating patients, while 597 quacks had closed down their centres, fearing PHC raids.

The major crackdowns were carried out in Rawalpindi, Sargodha and Lahore, where 19, 17 and 16 illegal centres respectively were locked down. In other prominent cities, 10 backstreet treatment outlets were sealed in Jhang, Rahim Yar Khan 9, eight each in Sialkot, Vehari, Sahiwal, Muzaffargarh and Faisalabad and seven in Bahawalpur.

In Lahore, Shabbir Pharmacy, Azaan Medical Store, Jannat Clinic, Glass Hut, Shabbir Medical Store, Maryum Dental Surgery House, Naushahi Dawakhana, Laiba Free Dispensary, Rehmiya Clinic, Asif Clinic, Shahid Medical Store, Farhan Clinic, Iqbal Homoeo Clinic, Sajjad Dental Clinic, Shagufta Clinic and Ilyas Clinic were sealed.

On the other hand, so far the PHC had closed down 34,763 quacks’ outlets, and its teams had raided over 111,000 centres, while 26,550 quacks had quit their illegal businesses.