PREVALENCE OF QUACKERY IN JAMMU REGION AND ROLE OF PRINT MEDIA IN ITS PROMOTION

Abstract

Quackery is additionally called fallacy. Quacks square measure the self-proclaimed doctors who play chaos with the lives of the folks. Unqualified practice is business in Asian countries. In each village, slum and city, hakims, quacks, 'jholachaap' doctors, 'Bengali' doctors are reported who sell steroids associated with Khandanishafakhana, piles and secret diseases related to sexual problems or reproductive tract. Like in alternative states, quacks are also flourishing in Jammu and geographical areas and are taking part in a good role in promoting it only for the sake of cash. Both quackery and media are mutually benefited. Media, considered as the fourth pillar of democracy, holds moral obligations towards the people who look into it for seeking the truth. So, it becomes the responsibility of the media to step in and educate the people instead of promoting this fake practice of Quackery. The objective of my research is to analyze the prevalence of quackery in the Jammu region and the role of print media in its promotion.

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PREVALENCE OF QUACKERY IN JAMMU REGION AND ROLE OF PRINT
MEDIA IN ITS PROMOTION
RAMIYAN BHARDWAJ
Research Scholar, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Lovely Professional University, Punjab, India
ABSTRACT
Quackery is additionally called fallacy. Quacks square measure the self-proclaimed doctors who play chaos with the lives
of the folks. Unqualified practice is business in Asian countries. In each village, slum and city, hakims, quacks,
‘jholachaap’ doctors, ‘Bengali’ doctors are reported who sell steroids associated with Khandanishafakhana, piles and
secret diseases related to sexual problems or reproductive tract. Like in alternative states, quacks are also flourishing in
Jammu and geographical areas and are taking part in a good role in promoting it only for the sake of cash. Both
quackery and media are mutually benefited. Media, considered as the fourth pillar of democracy, holds moral obligations
towards the people who look into it for seeking the truth. So, it becomes the responsibility of the media to step in and
educate the people instead of promoting this fake practice of Quackery. The objective of my research is to analyze the
prevalence of quackery in the Jammu region and the role of print media in its promotion.
KEYWORDS: Quackery, Democracy, Folks, Media, Promotion.
Received: Feb 02, 2022; Accepted: Feb 22, 2022; Published: Mar 02, 2022; Paper Id.: IJCMSJUN20222
INTRODUCTION
“Where silly quacks are more respected, there honest doctors are neglected. Petty Attorneys and Quack Doctors
are like wolves and scabbed sheep among the Flock. One devours and the other breeds the rot”(Ames, 1734).
Quackery is based on the illogical superstitious beliefs of people and even journalists too who want to promote it
for their financial benefit. Quackery is the promotion of fake medicines or pseudoscience through advertising and
publicity. This fraudulent practice of medical sciences aims of making profit. It is the so-called traditional practice
and is based on commercialism. Advancement in technology has resulted in the growth of quackery all over the
world. Modern quackery advertisements are related to KhandaniShafakhana, weight loss, sexual improvement,
piles cure, kidney cure, bodybuilding, height increase etc. The modern form of quackery products like steroids,
pills, organs developer are influencing youth that has resulted in harmful diseases and even death.
The health practices should depend on practical scientific studies, and all other unauthorized practices
should be prohibited. To this effect, Quack-watch has been developed as Anti-quackery website so that this
website can be significant to both scientists and consumers. The lack of knowledge, awareness among people,
belief in superstitions has made them trust and rely on quacks.
QUACKERY IN JAMMU REGION
Like other states, J&K health care is supported by private sectors which include small hospitals, nursing homes'
polyclinics, private practitioners, faith healers and quacks. Quacks play havoc with the lives of the people,
particularly women and children.
Original Article
International Journal of Communication
and Media Studies (IJCMS)
ISSN (P): 2250–0014; ISSN (E): Applied
Vol. 12, Issue 1, Jun 2022, 13–16
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

14 Ramiyan Bhardwaj
Impact Factor (JCC): 4.8752 NAAS Rating: 2.52
Quacks are self-proclaimed doctors and have become a real problem for the city. One can find quacks near
Gummat, Bahu Plaza and areas alongside but their presence are not only restricted to their particular area. According to
survey reports, quacks are flourishing not only in Jammu but all over the country. Quackery has bad effects on health. For
time being things might seem easily approachable but in the longer term, such quick fixes can actually damage and
deteriorate the condition.
Multiple quacks claim to treat ailments within minutes. It is a common sight to see these self-proclaimed doctors
cleaning ears and teeth with sharp edged tools which can permanently damage the hearing ability of a person. Unethical
practicing and running of clinics don't give up on quacks and are fooling people with false pretense. The major problem is
the inability to afford or pay for healthcare.
This quackery is so ingrained in the system that people in well-established areas prefer to consult a quack before
they visit a professional consultant. That represents a failure of the government in strengthening the trust of the general
public in the healthcare system. The main cause of quackery is the high cost of treatments, illiteracy, lack of awareness and
poor accessibility to clinics.
The rapid mushrooming of dental quacks in the Jammu region over the past few years is posing a serious threat to
the lives of people. As per rough estimates, more than 3,000 dental quacks are running illegally throughout the region
without having the requisite qualification or training. Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Poonch, Ramban, Bari Brahmana and
Samba district wherein incompetent dental quacks are playing with the lives of innocent and poor people on the pretext of
providing them cheap and best dental treatments(Sharma, 2017).
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
This research regulates the various aspects that need to be taken into consideration while covering the quackery issue. It
aims at retrospecting the amount of media coverage given to the quackery and quacks. The research involves the role of
media (newspaper) in the publicity of this issue and the perception of upcoming journalists related to quackery. They are
promoting it to gain financial profit.
The objective of this research is to analyze the role of media in promoting quackery in Jammu for profit. It aims to
find the number of quackery advertisements published in two Hindi regional newspapers of Jammu (Amar Ujaala and
DainikJaagran) and also by knowing the perception of upcoming journalists or media students.
One interesting thing which came out after the thorough analysis of the data collected are the reasons for quackery
problem that are the crux of my thesis.
 Corporatization of media
 Illiteracy
 Lack of knowledge or awareness
 Decline in autonomy of journalists
 Emergence of contract system
 Poor wage levels of journalists

Prevalence of Quackery in Jammu Region and Role of Print Media in its Promotion 15
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 Media politics nexus
 Greed for money
OVERVIEW OF AMAR UJAALA AND DAINIK JAAGRAN NEWSPAPERS RELATED TO
QUACKERY ADVERTISEMENTS
Amar Ujaala and DainikJaagran both are Hindi newspapers. I analyzed and surveyed the Quackery advertisements
published in the Classifieds of these newspapers. These advertisements are mostly given in Hindi newspapers as compared
to English newspapers because Hindi newspapers are generally read by maximum people of India because it is the national
language of the country. Therefore, these Quackery advertisements act as a source of attraction towards the people.
Amar Ujaala contains more quackery advertisements than DainikJaagraan because it provides concession in price
rate of advertisements are given through advertisement agencies. Amar Ujaala print advertisements related to Sex
(KhandaniShafakhana), piles cure, kidney cure, bodybuilding advertisements etc. in colored and black and white
classifieds. The advertisements printed in coloured classifieds cost more than black and white classifieds whereas,
DainikJaagran prints less advertisements or nil advertisements related to quackery. Maximum the advertisements are given
are black and white classifieds. The reason can be any they know about this fake practice or they don’t want to publish
such content or they don’t want such content to be published in a newspaper. They mostly contain one advertisement
related to Sex and Bodybuilding in Black and white classifieds.
Therefore, both the newspapers promote quackery for the sake of money and to attract the readers towards their
newspapers by printing advertisements.
CONCLUSIONS
When we talk about the role of media, Media is considered to be the fourth pillar of democracy that holds moral obligation
towards its people who look up to it for seeking the truth. So, it becomes the responsibility of the media to step in and
educate the masses about the Quackery issue. The media should bring dysfunctional public health systems more into public
discourse.
Contrary to popular perception, health issues aren't just dilapidated hospitals and corrupt doctors. Quacks use
various media platforms to run their business of scientific, rational and unethical practice. These alternative medicines have
an adverse effect on the health of poor people because they are illiterate and awareness is not there. Media promotes
quackery for the sake of money both media and quackery are mutually benefitted.
This research work has analyzed in detail the role of regional Hindi newspapers in quackery promotion through
various quackery advertisements. Amar Ujaala and DainiKJaagran were selected to be the main study of the research.
Amar Ujaala contains more quackery related content as compared to DainikJaagran. Both the newspapers considerably
cover the same quackery advertisements.
RECOMMENDATIONS
There is an urgent need of providing autonomy to the newspapers to have full freedom on the coverage of events in the
public interest despite quackery promotion. The most important part of print media is communication in an appropriate and
transparent manner.

16 Ramiyan Bhardwaj
Impact Factor (JCC): 4.8752 NAAS Rating: 2.52
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