2,869 quacks in Karnataka, says health minister

The state government has identified 2,869 quacks operating with fake licences. Shivamogga district alone has 634 quacks followed by Koppal with 201 and Bidar with 276 quacks.

There are no quacks in Chamarajanagar, Tumakuru, Chikkamagaluru, Ramanagaram, Bengaluru Rural and Kalaburagi districts, Health Minister K R Ramesh Kumar said in the Legislative Council.

Replying to S V Sankanur and Appaji Gowda, the minister said quacks earlier worked as assistants with doctors.

Later, they obtained fake licences from agencies outside state and started practice as registered medical practioneers. They always recommended a high dose of antibiotics or steroids which put the patients at risk, the minister said.

The minister said the government is exploring the possibility cracking down on quacks.
DH News Service