The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : ‘Quacks’ to treat patients at STD clinics

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Friday, Jun 20, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

‘Quacks’ to treat patients at STD clinics

APSACS to train them on using syndromic management approach

STDs can be cured by at least one medicine in the combination of drugs
Training for practitioners of unrecognised medical streams will be taken up soon: APSACS Joint Director

HYDERABAD: Guess what the authorities have come up with to curb the menace of quacks who take persons infected with HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) for a ride.

They have decided to train non-qualified doctors, crudely put quacks to handle and prescribe medicines to patients with STD at government clinics. Hard to fathom, but its true!

STDs are increasingly becoming the first step towards a full-blown HIV infection.

Hence, Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) will rope-in non-qualified practitioners to prescribe medicines by educating them on the concepts of syndromic case management (SCM) of STD.

While STDs remain common, public, out of hesitation and stigma, avoid going to government-run STD clinics.

They invariably end-up at a local ‘Hakeem’ for deliverance. More often than not, the local unqualified practitioner prescribes drugs, which instead of curing, complicate the ailment.

“If we train these non-qualified persons with the concepts of SCM, we can nip the problem in the bud. We can give accurate medicine to a patient on his first visit to the STD clinic. This will help stop spread of STD and eventually HIV also,” points out APSACS Joint Director V. Rajamouli.

The APSACS Joint Director, who spoke on the sidelines of a conference on HIV on Thursday, pointed out that the concept of syndromic management of STDs was new in India. “Roughly put, there are 10 common STDs and they can be treated by a combination of three to four drugs. So, even if the non-qualified doctor from Unani, Sidha or similar streams fails to properly diagnose, he has to prescribe the combination,” he explained.

Syndromic management approach is based on a group of symptoms that can be used to appropriate treatment.

A non-qualified doctor does not have to change drugs because STDs will be cured at least by one medicine in the combination of drugs.

“They can manage STD cases on their own. Such training sessions for practitioners of Unani, Sidha, homeopathy and other unrecognised medical streams will be taken up soon,” Dr. Rajamouli says.

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