GEORGE TOWN, Sept 24 — A 24-hour clinic was shut down by the state Health Department after authorities found a bogus doctor working in it.

In the 2pm raid, a team of enforcement officers from the Health Department’s Private Medical Control Unit turned up at the clinic in Bayan Baru after receiving complaints from the public.

“We found the ‘doctor’ working there did not have a medical degree and was not licensed so the clinic was sealed,” State Health Department Director Datuk Dr Lailanoor Ibrahim said when contacted.

It is believed that the bogus doctor has been seeing patients and dispensing treatments in the private clinic for the past five years.

“The clinic is owned and operated by a qualified medical doctor but the ‘doctor’ he hired to treat patients at the clinic did not have any medical practice certification and does not have any medical qualifications at all,” Lailanoor told Malay Mail Online.

The department is now conducting a full investigation into the case under Section 31 (1)(c) of the Private Health Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 585) which states that a registered private healthcare facility must employ persons with qualification and experience recognised by the Health Director General.

“We have seized some of the items the doctor used such as a stethoscope and medication in the raid and the clinic will be closed until further instructions from the Health Ministry,” he said.

Lailanoor said the clinic owner was not around during the raid so his department will contact the owner regarding the case.

“Once we complete our investigations, we will send a full report to Putrajaya,” he said.

Following this case, the department will now be conducting checks on all the private clinics in the state to ensure there are no other similar cases.

“We also urge the public to inform us if they suspect or know of any other clinics with bogus doctors,” he added.

He also warned clinic owners not to hire unqualified and unlicensed doctors as the department will have no qualms shutting these clinics down.

“They should know that they cannot hire unlicensed doctors for their private clinics,” he said.