A section of  Ayurvedic and Unani quacks are doing brisk business across Khulna city and on its outskirts under the very nose of law enforcers. The quacks are prescribing medicines that promise a cure for all diseases from cold to cancer within 24 hours to one week only to make a fast buck by fleecing the hapless people. These so-called doctors have no degrees, certificates or approval from authorities but their business seems to be up and running. A section of locals revealed that hundreds of people, especially youngsters, are being cheated every day under the name of such treatments. Those suffering from sexually-transmitted diseases (STD) are particularly vulnerable.
There are at least 25 to 30 herbal treatment centres offering cures for just about any disease under the sun. One can see them, complete with flashy signboards, in various parts of the city like Gallamari, Khanjahan Ali Road, Moylapota, Mistripara, Nirala Moar, Sonadanga Bus terminal, and Zero point area. What’s more, these centres place advertisements in local newspapers to draw the attention of prospective patients and employ staff to convince the latter to undergo treatment there. They distribute pamphlets outside educational institutions, business houses and bus stands to attract the masses and nowadays, have even taken to television commercials for publicity.
During a recent visit to some of these centres, this correspondent found the Hakims treating patients suffering from a wide range of diseases including hepatitis, rheumatic fever, cancer, paralysis, acidity, asthma, piles, fistula and skin disorders. Abdul Baten, a patient from Dumiria who visited the Madraj Unani Complex at Moylapota, said, “Doctors assured me of being cured after taking medicine. I spent a lot on medicines but I still have the same problem.”
Superintendent of Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) Dr Anando Mohon Saha said, “None can guarantee curing of a disease before treatment. When the whole world is busy conducting research on cure for cancer and AIDS, I don’t know how these Hakims are guaranteeing success in the treatment of these diseases. These herbal treatment centres are just cheating people. The government should take action against them as early as possible.”
Noted Khulna Physician Dr Md Muzibur Rahman said, “Some medicines are being given to ailing people in the name of losing or gaining weight. Those can increase the risk of developing liver and kidney diseases.”
Civil Surgeon of Khulna district Dr Md Yasin Ali Sardar said that the registration process of herbal medicines is not transparent. Licenses are given to produce and distribute herbal medicines at random but the process needs to be strictly regulated and monitored by a special team.
“Every day, hundreds of people fall prey to dishonest, self-styled doctors and fall sick after taking these cheap herbal medicines instead of getting cured. Finally, the poor will lose their productivity and become a burden on their families and the society instead of being a support,” said Dr Yasin.
Assistant Director of Drug Administration, Khulna, Md Mahmud Hossain, said, “Publicity and advertisement of such medicines is inconsistent with medical ethics and a flagrant violation of existing laws. They are just fleecing patients in the name of herbal treatment. We require more manpower to conduct random drives against these so-called herbal doctors to stop them from selling their cure-alls and save people from their clutches.”