Bengaluru: The state has close to 2302 quacks practising ayurveda and other ancient medicinal systems and close to 1922 fake clinics and centres have been slapped with notices, according to the Karnataka Ayurvedic and Unani Practitioner's Board.
Revealing that FIRs have been registered against 380 fake doctors, the board says the highest number of quacks are from Kolar, which has nearly 300 of them.
"The problem is that there are not enough allopathy doctors in the rural areas, often forcing patients to travel a few kilometres to reach a PHC. So the Ayush doctors or quacks prescribe allopathy drugs and steroids in emergencies without any knowledge of them. A few Ayush doctors are misusing antibiotics for personal benefit, which is of serious worry," says Mr Vinayak S Amberker, Registrar of Karnataka Ayurvedic and Unani Practitioner's Board.
While there are a huge number of unqualified quacks getting fake certificates practicing ayurveda, there are also those who are genuine and have been practising for years, he notes.
Mr Amberker believes the Union government’s initiative to design a one- and- a- half year basic course on emergency medicine and pharmacology for Ayush practitioners could help them prescribe allopathy drugs as well. Meawhile, mourning that the board has not had a president for the past one- and- a - half years, he is hopeful it will be able to elect one soon.
