LAHORE - The Punjab Healthcare Commission has closed down 34 fake treatment centres of quacks during the current week, and initiated further proceedings against them.

According to details, out of these quacks 25 were posing as general practitioners and jirrahs, while nine were fake dentists.

The general quacks included: Munir Clinic, Mughal Medical Store, Maqsood Ali Clinic, Tariq Clinic, Minhaj Clinic, Chaudhary Health Clinic, Shahzad Clinic, Nawaz Clinic, National Medical Store, Ghauri Clinic, Haider Medical Store and Clinic, Muhammad Yasin Clinic, Abdul Rauf Clinic, Jan Muhammad Clinic, Azeem Clinic and Zulfiqar Clinic. Nine fake dentists included Awais Dental Clinic, Saeed Dental Clinic, Shaukat Dental Clinic & Lab, Decent Dental Clinic, Shahid Dental Surgery, Zahid Dental Clinic, Ali Dental Clinic, Sheraz Ijaz Dental Clinic and Irfan Dental Clinic. Nine bone-setters or jirrahs are: Shifa Khana Jirai, Muhammad Shafi Jirrah, Abdul Razzaq Jirrah Centre, M. Shahbaz Dawakhana & Jirrah, Asghar Ali Pehlwan, Shah-e-Jahan Fiaz Ghousia Jirrah, Ali Hajvari Jirrah, Muhammad Rafique Phalwan and Bismillah Hadi Jore,

From July 2015 till today, PHC closed down businesses of 7000 quacks and imposed fine of Rs 53.6 million.

The spokesperson of the PHC has said the Commission is continuing its anti-quackery campaign across the province, and its teams are visiting all districts and tehsils one after the other to eliminate quackery in all its forms. The PHC has also appealed to the masses that they should always go to the PHC registered and licensed medical practitioners. The masses can give information about quacks on the toll free PHC helpline 0800 00742.