The Ministry of Health has urged the Health Department of Thai Nguyen Province to quickly investigate a local who is claiming to be able to cure cancer patients merely by treading on their bodies.
Patients waiting to be treated by Mrs. Phu
Crowds of patients from all over the country have gathered at the house of Pham Thi Phu on Co Street in the country town of Song Cong. Phu is a self-proclaimed doctor who claims her strange treatment method of walking on people’s bare buttocks can literally stamp away the pain.
Phu opened a massage and food service in her home in 2005 after she was discharged from hospital for being treated with a mental illness.
Despite not having any form of qualification for medical treatment, many people have rushed to her house with Phu claiming to have ability to treat all ailments, including HIV and cancer.
Local authorities have consistently banned Phu from making such claims, but people have continued coming there, while Phu levies no charges for her services.
Speaking with DTiNews, Tran Minh Hang, deputy head of Song Cong Town's Health Department said that legal regulations governing massage as a service mean the local authorities can't impose any fines on Phu, and can only carry out inspections of her house. "We have been informed of this unusual treatment method and its high on our list of priorities," Hang added.
