Strange how a paramedic called himself a doctor for many years, wonders HC

NT Correspondent | NT

Bengaluru: Wondering how a paramedic called himself a doctor for several years and ran a clinic, the High Court said the time has come to pull curtains on such people who were cheating people in rural areas.

“Time has come to pull the curtain down on such people who are practicing medicine without qualification and hoodwinking poor people in rural areas,” the HC said.

The observation was made by Justice M Nagaprasanna who was hearing a petition by one Dr Annaiah N, a 57-yearold from KGF, Bangarpet, Kolar who runs the Sangeetha Clinic in KGF.

He had approached the HC challenging the endorsement of the District Health and Family Welfare Officer rejecting his application for registration under the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act.

He claimed to have completed a CMS-ED certificate course from Central Paramedical Educational Board and based on the certificate been running a clinic for several years.

His application for registration under the Act was rejected on September 25, 2023.

His petition in the HC was objected to by the Government Advocate Navya Shekahar who contended that Annaiah was not an allopathic doctor and did not have the necessary qualification to practice medicine.

Considering the meaning of “Medical Practitioner” the HC said, “If the nature of the course that the petitioner has undergone is considered on the bedrock of the provisions noted hereinabove, it would become unmistakably clear that the qualification possessed by the petitioner does not make him a ‘Private Medical Practitioner’”.

Further the HC said that he was not a doctor under the law.

“Being a paramedical practitioner, he is not entitled to any registration under the Act, which is sine qua non for continuation of practice as a medical practitioner. He is not a doctor as defined under the Act.”

As per the endorsement rejecting his application, his clinic would also be seized.

The HC said there was nothing wrong in it. Rejecting the petition, the HC said, “endorsement also notices that the clinic of the petitioner would be seized and the seizure would be axiomatic, as it is a consequence of nonregistration of the clinic by a doctor who has no qualification. It is rather strange as to how the petitioner addresses himself as a practicing doctor for all these years.” (WP 23267/2023)