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Regional News of Wednesday, 21 May 2003

Source: CHRONICLE

Quack Doctors Take Over Afram Plains

Reports received from the Afram Plains district indicates that activities of quack doctors have reached alarming proportions in recent times, a situation which put lives of most of the 137,000 people there at risk.

The fake doctors who go round the communities to peddle all kinds of drugs and give injections are the only source of treatment known to most of the residents in the remote parts of the district who find it difficult travelling to the few health centers dotting the area.

The situation has reportedly sent hundreds of people prematurely to their graves and left many more with complicated diseases.

The District Director of Health Services of the Afram Plains, Dr. Augustine Ankuvie, in an interview, stated that most of the residents were in the habit of relying on quack doctors and druggists for their medication, instead of attending hospital for proper treatment.

He mentioned poverty and lack of motorable roads as some of the major reasons why the people fail to attend hospitals to receive proper medication.

He said a health insurance scheme is yet to be launched soon in the district to make health delivery more affordable to the people and effective in the area.