Minister Jitendra Singh cautions people against 'self-styled' health counsellors

Ahmedabad: Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday expressed concern over a "new genre" of unqualified and "self-styled counsellors" advising people on health and lifestyle, and rued that there was no regulation for them unlike doctors. He also held such people responsible for spreading "disinformation".

Singh, who is also a diabetes specialist, was addressing a gathering of doctors and healthcare experts after inaugurating the 'World Congress of Diabetes', which will go on till February 16."A huge, huge caution against a new genre of self-styled counsellors in Delhi. You have a variety of diet charts in the market today. More than information, it is disinformation in this country, which plays havoc," he said.

"They will impress you with graphs and you think it's the final truth. Because that's what is driving our culture today. And unfortunately, you don't have any regulation for them, and there is no mandatory registration for them like regular doctors," he added.

Earlier, uneducated quacks used to do such things, but now English-speaking people are doing it, the minister said. Singh also called for collective efforts to fight diabetes and obesity in the country. "In order to overcome this challenge of diabetes and obesity, I think what is important is to have a very synergized approach. Because preventing diabetes is too serious a problem to be left to a diabetologist...It is a national responsibility. All the stakeholders have to be brought together," he said.