In recent months it has become common to find news regarding the arrest of people who illegally practiced medicine, dentistry and other professions related to the health area, last weekend the head of the Public Ministry, Tarek William Saab announced the opening of 65 investigations for the crimes of malpractice and illegal practice of medicine.
the price of fashion
As the economic crisis affecting the country worsened, professional health services moved away from the pockets of Venezuelans who, instead of going to clinics, ended up in outpatient clinics and hospitals, but later many ended up seeking parallel care.
Masseurs and sobers instead of physiotherapists, advice from pharmacy clerks, ladies who inject instead of health professionals are some of the cases and everything was regarding to be complicated by fashion.
With the boom in aesthetic medicine, operations, botox, infiltrations and all kinds of interventions became the dream of those who wanted to transform themselves and underwent risky interventions in spaces that were far from being offices or clinics; offices, cubicles, premises in shopping centers, hairdressers, in middle-class urbanizations, so-called “botox parties” were common where a “beautician specialist” injected the toxin into the face of his clients.
This fashion left his balance red. Dozens of women died of complications while being treated in “aesthetic centers”; hundreds fell into the hands of charlatans who applied strange products to them: oil, cornstarch and even cement were injected to increase the bust, model the butt, remove abdominal fat, lift cheeks, eliminate wrinkles, everything was risked in order to return to a freshness youth who years ago abandoned the clientele.
Dentistry did not escape this tidal wave and when orthodontics and dental cosmetics became popular, peddlers suddenly emerged who put braces, or braces, at very affordable prices.
Informal merchants offered their services on the capital’s boulevards and central squares, unsuspecting customers were taken to rented cubicles where they were served. Spaces that barely had water and electricity service.
At the same time, there are the false veterinarians, who vaccinate, operate, attend births, sterilize animals. Subjects like Emilio José Rubio, arrested by the scientific police, turned the lives of pets who are unlucky enough to fall into their hands into hell.
danger lurking
The situation escalated, and fake doctors suddenly began to appear, now in clinics, hospitals and health centers, where it is expected that there will be greater control.
These are subjects who falsify documents and pass themselves off as gynecologists, such as José Daniel López, arrested following it was found that instead of intradermal contraceptive implants, he placed lollipop sticks and pieces of urinary catheters on the women who attended him, and also carried out transvaginal echoes, gave directions and prescribed medications, all without any academic knowledge.
The Prosecutor’s Office and the authorities have acted, but their actions are usually late, they are activated following complaints, that is, there are people who have already been victims, so what can the common citizen do?
An evil that became popular
In this regard, Douglas León Natera, urologist and President of the Venezuelan Medical Federation, acknowledges that it is a serious problem that has increased in recent years, “it is a situation that we have been dragging since the beginning of this century, when it was decided to import doctors, ignoring what was established by the laws regarding the practice of medicine, from there began a process of legalization of what was illegal”.
Regarding the possible alerts that can be made to citizens, he points out that “it is not easy, people fall into their good faith, if they get ads or if they find out through social networks they believe in what they see, then recommend verifying people is complicated, who should do it are those networks and advertisers, the authorities cannot leave something so delicate in the hands of potential victims.”
“Before, these problems were very sporadic for a very simple reason, membership and fear of jail, but today this situation is normal, it has become popular,” concluded the union leader.
For his part, the lawyer and criminologist Luis Izquiel adds that impersonation of functions, falsification of documents and illegal practice are crimes, but there is also the risk that a patient is a victim of malpractice due to recklessness and inexperience that can cause from injuries to the death of a person, which also constitute crimes, to which fraud and fraud must be added, “in short, we are faced with a concurrence of crimes that would put those involved for several years behind bars.”
Verification and common sense
Both professionals agreed to call for the common sense of citizens, “there are things that can be seen with the naked eye and when in doubt, do not undergo operations of any kind, it is better to waste time than life,” Izquiel said.
“Basically, if it is in your power, go to recognized centers, investigate those who care for them, try to verify the quality of the trafficker, their training, in the clinic, hospital or health center, that might be enough to have a real opinion,” added León. Natera.
One thing is certain, if you cannot afford a health service, look for a cheaper one, go to a hospital, ask other patients and if possible other professionals, so you can get care without risking it.
In relation to social networks, you must be objective, “not all that glitters is gold, many scammers are there hunting the unwary, in matters of health the fundamental thing is your safety, if you cannot pay for a private service, seek attention in hospitals, where there are trained personnel to help him”, concluded the leader of the Medical Federation.
