Fake Egyptian doctor arrested after practising medicine for 34 years using forged documents

Dubai: Egyptian authorities have arrested a man accused of impersonating a doctor for 34 years, using forged medical qualifications and a fake professional registration number to treat patients and prescribe medication at charitable clinics across two governorates.

The suspect, who allegedly posed as a consultant in internal medicine despite having no medical qualifications, was arrested at a medical facility in Damira village in Dakahlia Governorate, according to Egyptian media reports.

A court in Talkha, Dakahlia Governorate, ordered his detention extended for 15 days pending investigations into allegations of document forgery, impersonating a medical professional and practising medicine without the required qualifications or licences.

Investigations revealed that the man had allegedly been treating patients since 1992, moving between small charitable medical centres and clinics in Dakahlia and neighbouring Gharbia Governorate.

He reportedly used forged documents claiming he had obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree in 1992, alongside a professional registration number belonging to another doctor.

Suspicious prescriptions expose deception

The case came to light after Dr Raafat Al Zankarani, a professor at Mansoura University's Faculty of Medicine, became suspicious of prescriptions brought to his clinic by several patients.

The prescriptions contained combinations of medications and multiple pain-relieving injections, prompting him to question the qualifications of the person issuing them.

Al Zankarani checked university graduate records and the Egyptian Medical Syndicate's registration database, discovering that the suspect held no recognised medical degree and was not registered as a doctor. He subsequently alerted the relevant authorities.

According to Al Zankarani, the suspect repeatedly avoided producing evidence of his qualifications when challenged by officials. He temporarily disappeared before investigators discovered that he had continued working at different medical facilities.

Former pharmacy assistant posed as consultant

Dr Ahmed Zahran, a member of the Egyptian Medical Syndicate's board, said the suspect had previously worked as a pharmacy assistant before allegedly assuming the identity of a qualified physician.

Rather than opening a private clinic, he operated through small charitable medical centres, presenting himself as an internal medicine consultant.

Zahran said the man's frequent movement between facilities and his practice of avoiding lengthy stays at any single location helped him escape scrutiny for decades.

He expressed surprise that some former patients had defended the suspect on social media following his arrest, claiming their health had improved after receiving treatment from him.

Zahran stressed that patients' personal experiences did not establish whether someone possessed legitimate medical qualifications or was legally authorised to practise medicine.

Call for stricter verification

The syndicate official urged charitable medical centres and private clinics to verify doctors' qualifications before employing them, rather than relying solely on certificates presented by applicants.

He said the Egyptian Medical Syndicate's website allows institutions and members of the public to check doctors' registration numbers, professional credentials and medical specialities.

Investigators also uncovered a document purportedly issued by Egypt's Ministry of Health claiming the suspect had graduated in medicine in 1992.

Prosecutors are continuing their investigation into the alleged forgery and unlawful medical practice, while the suspect remains in custody under the court's latest detention order.