Compounders Posing as Doctors: Telangana Medical Council Cracks Down

In several cities and towns across Telangana, a surge of individuals posing as qualified doctors—reminiscent of cinematic portrayals like Shankar Dada MBBS—has come to light. These individuals are reportedly practicing medicine and operating hospitals without the necessary qualifications, often using forged documents. Some initially work as assistants in hospitals and later assume the role of doctors. Despite lacking medical credentials, they are allegedly prescribing antibiotics, steroids, and other potent medications to patients.

In a recent and alarming incident, an unqualified practitioner performed surgery on a woman at an unlicensed hospital in Suryapet, Nalgonda district. The botched procedure led to the woman's death on Sunday. To prevent widespread outrage across the state, the hospital management reportedly reached an agreement with the bereaved family. As part of the settlement, they allegedly assured a fixed deposit in the names of the deceased’s children, attempting to pacify the family by asserting, “a lost life cannot be regained.”

It is reported that the family was persuaded to agree after being offered financial compensation, including ₹20 lakh spent in an attempt to save the woman and an additional sum for the children. However, the matter gradually leaked to the public and went viral on social media, bringing the incident into the spotlight.

Following the revelation, the Telangana Medical Council initiated a strict crackdown on fake medical practitioners. Officials conducted inspections at 14 health centers across Nalgonda district and filed cases against the offenders. The Council also lodged complaints with the respective police stations against the unlicensed hospitals and individuals posing as doctors. The Vice Chairman of the Medical Council stated that statewide measures are being undertaken to curb the menace of fake doctors.