Ugandans' health must not suffer at the hands of an irresponsible media

By Mpaata Owagage

If, like me, you are an ardent listener to local radio, then you most likely have heard certain dubious "doctors" making a wide range of clinical and therapeutic claims.

These fellows are usually hosted midmornings on weekdays on a number of local radio stations. They are careful and calculating, often throwing in disclaimers about the conditions they "cannot treat" in a rare show of modesty. My guess is that this is the proverbial hook that lends legitimacy to most of their claims while reigning in the desperate listener.

The disclaimers are often conveniently timed right after the hosted individual has given elaborate directions to where they can be found (or not) and repeatedly furnished his/her phone number. Many go on to suggest how one can reach them from the old/new taxi park. They must be busy fellows, because most are in a certain part of the country on particular days.

More recently, I have seen them hosted on some local TV stations.

To the casual observer, it may not be easy to find issue with the above narrative. But to the more critical one, there are several reasons why the Uganda government - especially health professional regulatory bodies - should take a tougher stance to curb this vice. Although hosted in the local language, it starts with these individuals' insistence on using the title "Doctor" as a prefix to their names.

First things first, the title "Doctor" is a legally protected one. To use it as a prefix to one's name, one must have either labored through the academic pains of obtaining a PhD; been conferred upon an honorary PhD or - in the case of medicine - hold a Bachelors of Medicine; a Bachelors of Veterinary Medicine; a Bachelors of Dental Surgery; or their equivalents. Particularly in the medical field, anyone who uses it outside of the aforementioned confines breaks the law.

I hasten to add that the title "Doctor" in the English language must be at once distinguished from its direct translation in Luganda; "musawo". While a nurse, traditional healer, herbalist, witch doctor and indeed any staff within a health facility may often be referred to or refer to self as "musawo" without any legal preoccupation, this is not the case with its English language variant.

For emphasis, section 47 of the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (1998) assigns criminal liability to any person who:

1. Wilfully and falsely uses any name or title implying a qualification to practice medicine, surgery, or dentistry;
2. not being registered or authorised under the act practices whether openly or impliedly as a medical or dental practitioner;
3. wilfully procures or attempts to procure himself or herself to be registered under this act by false or fraudulent representation either verbally or in writing.

These fellows not only imply to be medical doctors but practice as if they are, often using clinical language and diagnostics. Indeed, in total disregard of this law, and on a near-daily basis, many vulnerable and undistinguishing Ugandans are made to hold these masqueraders in a higher regard than they ought.

Now I have no problem with the bonafide practice of traditional medicine, neither do I with the provision of free accurate information. However, what is becoming increasingly distasteful with these schemers is that they have started to progressively venture into the core of human medicine, stuff they know nothing about.

They now claim to use a whole range of modern medical diagnostics after which a certain concoction may be supplied. Of late they can be heard on radio and TV fumbling with complicated physiological, anatomical and pathological terms to further confuse a gullible audience.

You see, I have been keen and have noted that many mispronounce, ill-define and downright misfire when discussing subjects like Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and Peptic Ulcer Disease - one of their favorites, erectile dysfunction notwithstanding. Many claim to be specialists in hypertension, urology, hepatic disorders and I could go on.

If the practice goes unchecked, many Ugandans intent on finding a medical specialist might well find themselves at the mercy of these unscrupulous elements.

A multi-stakeholder effort spearheaded by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and involving Health Professional Regulatory Bodies, The Ministry of Health, The Uganda Police and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions must be mobilized. For this multi-faceted team, I venture to suggest the following priority interventions:

1. In addition to existing guidelines, a law governing the practice of traditional medicine is an imperative
2. Prosecute all individuals that use the title "Doctor" or imply to be doctors without the necessary prerequisites. In this regard, s47 of The Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (1998) provides a solid basis.
3. This article would be imbalanced without apportioning blame to the media houses that give these individuals a platform to express unverified claims. They fail to exercise the necessary rigor that is the hallmark of credible journalism. In fact, UCC, under The Uganda Communications Act (2013), has the duty to protect consumers from inaccurate and/or misleading information. In this regard, I propose a revocation of license for all media houses that continue to entertain these individuals without clearance from the concerned professional bodies.

Admittedly, I have not researched the treatment success/failure rates of these "Doctors". However, any such undertaking would be redundant in the specific pursuit of my cardinal argument. Stay away from legally protected titles and away from the highly technical field of human medicine. Marketing your curative powers can be achieved sans blighting an honorable profession.

The writer is a pharmacist and an expert in health and medical law