Bengaluru: Amid reports of a growing number of pregnant women falling prey to unqualified practitioners posing as gynaecologists in Bengaluru’s outskirts and suburban areas, the Bengaluru Urban zilla panchayat Tuesday directed the health department to intensify action against such individuals.“Unqualified practitioners masquerading as gynaecologists are allegedly administering unauthorised treatment in several parts of the district, putting the lives of mothers and newborns at serious risk during childbirth,” said Yatheesh R., chief executive officer (CEO) of the Bengaluru Urban ZP.Chairing the quarterly district-level coordination committee meeting of the National Child Health Programme (RBSK), ASHA Monitoring and Grievance Redressal, and NPPCF programme, he directed the health department to constitute a special team to inspect private gynaecology clinics across the district and initiate legal action against unqualified practitioners.According to officials, many such practitioners are graduates of ayurveda or homeopathy. “Especially in rural areas, people do not know the difference between an MBBS doctor and a BAMS or BHMS doctor. During emergencies, they often go to the first clinic they find. So far, we have not had any untoward incidents, and we want to ensure it stays that way,” a senior official said.Yatheesh also instructed ASHAs, who regularly visit households, to document the dietary patterns of pregnant women and new mothers in Bengaluru Urban district over the next three months and submit a comprehensive report. The direction follows a recent report submitted by the CEO of Mandya district, which found that nutrient-deficient dietary habits were widespread and could be contributing to poor infant health and malnutrition. He said such a report would help the department design targeted awareness campaigns and nutritional interventions.He also called for coordinated efforts across departments to reduce reliance on groundwater for drinking water as part of fluorosis prevention measures. With the monsoon under way, he asked officials to step up awareness campaigns on mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, malaria and chikungunya, while educating the public on preventive measures to curb their spread.
