Have you ever known an institution where everything is fake? The council, elections, members, colleges, admissions, examinations, diplomas and the so-called doctors!
However, there are rare exceptions. Sincere homoeopathic medical practitioners who adhere to the system of medicine discovered by a German physician in late 19th century.
All this is happening under the umbrella of the National Council for Homoeopathy which is producing quacks en masse.
The National Council for Homoeopathy (NCH) is governed by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (MNHSR&C) but in reality it operates arbitrarily without checks and accountability.
The Council regulates more than 136 private homoeopathic medical colleges. However, it has failed to conform with Unani, Ayervedic and Homoeopathic Act 1965 and in recognizing and regulating all homoeopathic educational institutions in the country.
The NCH comprises 21 members, 13 of whom are elected every five years by all registered homoeopaths of Pakistan. The Ministry nominates the remaining eight.
All homoeopathic medical colleges are recognized by the NCH which also conducts exams, grants diplomas and registers homoeopathic practitioners.
Any managing body registered under the Societies Registration Act 1870 is eligible to apply to the NCH for establishing a new homoeopathic medical institution.
Although, the NCH constituted a yardstick for standards, the implementation is far from reality.
The haphazard growth of homoeopathic colleges across the country speaks volumes of the lack of criteria consciousness of the Council.
Most of the colleges do not even meet the basic parameters laid down in the UAH Act 1965, but have been recognized by the Council and the Ministry of Health Services Regulations & Coordination.
Discussions with a few officials at the NCH and homoeopathic doctors pointed out a number of irregularities in the affairs of the Council. Some even thought it to be a fit case for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
A source in the Council told Pique that often homeopathic colleges are started with proper buildings and infrastructure for registration, only to be shifted to substandard facilities within months.
Most colleges are owned by council members. Funnily enough, in some cases, they have been inspecting and approving their own colleges.
The strength of the homoeopathic colleges in the country is much more than required. And it is becoming an overpopulated profession.
The whole system has become commercialized. Backdated and over-admissions is common practice. This means the students are short of attendance and resort to guide books and notes. This has corrupted the examination system.
Colleges wrongfully facilitate the use of unfair means to the invigilators/superintendents and students alike.
The distribution of answer sheets for marking is not fair, as these are often sent to colleges owned by council members. The marking is sketchy and results are manipulated.
The Pakistan Homoeopathic Doctors Association (PHDA) in a similar complaint wrote to the Secretary Imtiaz Inayat Elahi in 2013 that the NCH had changed the result of about 500 students by re-marking their answer sheets after the declaration of examination 2012 results.
Dr Pervez Akhtar Qureshi, former President of the NCH expressed serious concerns over the affairs of the Council saying, “Corruption in the examination is producing ‘qualified’ quacks in the country. This must be checked by amending the existing Act. The NCH should have no role in the holding of exams as most of its members, their relatives and friends are running the colleges. Therefore, due to conflict of interests there can never be transparency in the examination process.”
He said everything was going in the wrong direction at the NCH bringing a bad name to the whole system and professional homoeopathic doctors.
The ministry in a show cause notice issued by its Secretary Imtiaz Inayat Elahi numbered Dy No 199/2013-DS (IC&Dev.) raised serious questions on the conduct of the Council’s President Dr Mahmood-ul-Haq Abbasi. No action has been taken so far.
Talking to Pique, Dr Nasir Chaudhry, former President NCH said that financial irregularities and corruption had marred the image of the Council with no check from the ministry.
“All laws and rules are being violated with no fear of accountability by the Council members and president. I demand that NAB play its due role to arrest the culprits playing with people’s lives and future of the youth,” he said, admiring the role of the Senate Standing Committee, which, according to him, was determined to uproot corruption in the Council.
Commenting on rampant corruption in the examination system of the NCH, a veteran homoeopath suggested that the exams should be conducted by boards of secondary and higher secondary education. “Otherwise, these homoeopathic colleges under the umbrella of NCH will continue working as diploma-distribution dens,” he added.
It is interesting that Mehmood-ul-Haq Abbasi, the man against whom very serious allegations of corruption and malpractices are on record, was made member of the sub-committee constituted to introduce reforms in the homoeopathic system by the Prevention Committee of NAB that works under its Director General (A&P). The Prevention Committee which met first time in January this year constituted many sub-committees for reformation of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C) and its attached, subordinate offices.
When contacted, Dr Mahmood-ul-Haq Abbasi, President NCH said that everything was going well in the Council and it is working efficiently. “We have taken disciplinary action against several colleges,” he said.
PML-N Senator Syed Zafar Ali Shah who heads the senate body on National Health services, Regulations and Coordination said that during the committee proceedings they had found that everything was going wrong in the Council that required strict action by the ministry. “I have asked the secretary to act against malpractices. He has promised that things will be made transparent,” Shah said, adding that the corrupt Council was just spreading licensed quackery in the country in the name of education and health. “I demand that NAB take notice of the rampant corruption and investigate into the NCH affairs,” the senator said.
The writer is Managing Editor.
