LAHORE, Feb 22 (APP): The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has significantly intensified its anti-quackery operations, conducting raids on 2,130 treatment centres across Punjab over a four-week period and sealing 500 illegal outlets.
According to a PHC spokesperson on Sunday, enforcement teams visited a wide range of treatment facilities, including clinics, laboratories and aesthetic centres. As a result of violations, 500 quackery outlets were sealed. Meanwhile, 232 centres were found to have undergone business changes, with operators either shifting locations, shutting down operations or converting to other businesses in response to the Commission’s strict enforcement.
Additionally, 1,285 healthcare establishments (HCEs) have been placed under surveillance to prevent any resurgence of quackery, as qualified professionals were operating these centres at the time of the inspections.
Chief Executive Officer PHC Dr Muhammad Saqib Aziz stated that the ongoing campaign reflects the Commission’s firm commitment to protecting public health and ensuring that only licensed and qualified practitioners provide medical services in the province.
Lahore recorded the highest number of closures, with 133 illegal treatment centres shut down. The crackdown also extended to other districts, resulting in the sealing of 25 centres in Sheikhupura, 23 in Faisalabad, 21 each in Sialkot and Narowal, 20 in Rawalpindi, 18 in Multan, 17 in Kasur, and 14 each in Okara and Jhang.
During the drive, authorities sealed approximately 277 clinics run by unqualified general practitioners, around 60 illegal medical stores and pharmacies, more than 50 dental clinics, over 40 hakeems and Tibb practices, a dozen homoeopathic clinics, over 30 unregistered laboratories and collection centres, about 14 maternity homes, and 13 traditional bone-setter outlets operating without recognised qualifications.
A PHC spokesperson further revealed that, to date, the Commission has conducted raids on around 242,000 treatment centres across Punjab, resulting in the closure of more than 67,600 quackery outlets, while 30,663 quacks have abandoned their illegal practices.