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Thiruvananthapuram: In a significant victory against medical fraud, Kerala police have arrested a man accused of posing as both a doctor and a nurse in multiple hospitals without valid qualifications. The arrest follows a persistent two-year legal campaign led by the General Practitioners Association (GPA), which exposed the accused’s forged credentials and brought attention to systemic gaps in healthcare oversight.
The accused, a resident of Perambra, was apprehended by Ambalavayal police in Wayanad after the GPA filed repeated complaints and pursued legal action. Investigations revealed that he had falsified an MBBS degree, purportedly from Pariyaram Medical College, and used a fake registration number to secure jobs in hospitals across Kozhikode and Wayanad districts.
The breakthrough came after the Kerala High Court accepted a writ petition from the GPA, which highlighted the dangers posed by unqualified individuals practicing medicine and criticized the lack of effective regulatory mechanisms. The petition specifically called out the Kerala State Medical Council (KSMC) for inaction, stating that the council only responded after being named as a respondent in the case.
Dr. Basheer, a representative of the GPA, cited this case as part of a worrying trend, referencing other incidents where medical impostors continued illegal practice even after being exposed. He stressed the urgent need for stronger regulatory frameworks to prevent such impersonation and protect patient safety.
Currently, only practitioners registered with the KSMC are legally allowed to practice modern medicine in Kerala. However, the incident has raised fresh concerns about the council’s ability to enforce standards and prevent fraudulent activity within the healthcare system.
“The KSMC refused to acknowledge complaints initially. It only started responding after we named them as a respondent in the case,” Dr. Basheer stated, underlining the challenges faced by whistleblowers and medical associations in holding impostors accountable.
The arrest has reignited calls for robust oversight and swift action against medical impersonators to restore public trust in healthcare services.
Disclaimer: This article is based on information reported by Medical Dialogues. No independent verification of the claims has been conducted. Readers are advised to refer to official sources and regulatory authorities for further details.
