Agra : 14 patients given anti-TB drugs for fever, cough by quacks

Agra: In a shocking case, 14 patients, including five children, suffering cough and fever were allegedly prescribed tuberculosis (TB) treatment drugs by quacks. The matter came to light during a drive to screen TB patients by the health department. Now, doctors are conducting drug-susceptibility test of these patients. The district tuberculosis officer has forwarded a complaint to the senior superintendent of police to register an FIR against 10 quacks.

Under the national tuberculosis control programme, details of patients suffering with tuberculosis are required to be uploaded on an online portal by doctors, pathology labs and medicine sellers.

Recently, close monitoring of data uploaded by medical stores found that 14 people had stopped taking TB medicine without completion of course. These patients were identified and a TB control team went to their homes for investigation.

It was revealed that these people had visited a nearby clinic. Without undergoing any test for TB, they were prescribed anti-TB drugs for cough and fever. The patients had stopped taking the medicines once they felt better.

The investigation team went to the clinics concerned and seized several medicines used for treating TB. Some of the clinics were found to be providing powdered medicines to patients. When asked, the doctors concerned failed to present registration number and degree certificates to the investigation team. They did not respond to the notice issued by the health department.

Talking with TOI, district tuberculosis officer UB Singh said, “A majority of the 14 patients are below 18 years old. We are conducting universal drug-susceptibility test on these patients to evaluate level of resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs. Use of medicines to cure TB by a non-infected person can cause serious damage to the immunity system.”

Singh said he had requested the SSP to register an FIR against 10 fake doctors under IPC section 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of diseases dangerous to life) or 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of dangerous to life).