The West Bengal Health Department has issued a fresh set of protocols to prevent unqualified individuals from practising medicine in private healthcare facilities across the state, following reports of people allegedly using forged certificates and fabricated registration numbers to pose as licensed doctors. The directive, issued on 2 October 2026, compels private medical establishments to verify the registration numbers of all doctors before appointment.

What the New Protocols Mandate

Under the revised guidelines, every private medical establishment in West Bengal must cross-check a doctor's registration credentials prior to hiring. The directive is grounded in Rule 7(4) of the West Bengal Clinical Establishment (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) Rules, 2017, which already requires private health facilities to authenticate all documents — a requirement that, according to the state, was routinely flouted.

A state health department official explained the rationale: 'Often, many individuals claiming to be doctors practice without valid registration numbers or approval for practising. Hence, common people get confused. So, we have asked licensing authorities to be vigilant to prevent this fraud.'

What Happens When Doubt Arises

The new framework also outlines a clear escalation path. If any authority harbours doubt about a practitioner's identity, educational qualifications, registration status, or right to provide medical services, it must immediately alert the appropriate regulatory body. 'In case of such doubts, the attention of the West Medical Council should be drawn immediately to verify the eligibility of the doctor concerned,' the official added.

Should an individual be found guilty of offering medical services under a fake identity — or without valid registration and authorisation — the protocols prescribe strict legal action and severe punishment.

How the Issue Came to Light

The problem was first flagged by the Association of Private Medical Hospitals and Nursing Homes, which documented instances of private healthcare facilities employing individuals without valid registrations. The association also pointed to cases where such individuals were independently running private chambers and offering consultations to unsuspecting patients, posing a direct risk to public health.

The body had urged both the state government and the medical council to introduce stronger deterrents against unauthorised practitioners. Their intervention appears to have catalysed the Health Department's response.

Industry and Medical Community Response

The new guidelines have been welcomed by the West Bengal Doctors' Forum, described as a leading representative body of medical practitioners in the state. Their endorsement lends institutional weight to the directive and signals broader professional consensus on the need for stricter credential verification in the private sector.

Notably, the issue of fake doctors operating in private healthcare is not unique to West Bengal — similar cases have surfaced in other states, underscoring a systemic gap in ongoing credential monitoring once a practitioner is hired. With the new protocols now in place, how consistently licensing authorities enforce them will determine whether this intervention moves beyond paperwork.