RIVERS GOVERNMENT CLOSES HOSPITALS RUN BY UNLICENSED PRACTIONERS

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The hospitals were shut down by the state’s Anti-Quackery Committee, which was formed by the Ministry of Health in April.

The Rivers State Government has shut down an agricultural-run hospital in Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area, as part of its ongoing crackdown on unlicensed medical establishments.

Dr. Adarze Oreh, the Commissioner for Health in Rivers State, stated at a press briefing in her office that the hospital is one of six health facilities recently sealed by the state’s Anti-Quackery Committee, which was constituted by the Ministry of Health in April.

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One of the establishments closed down was an unregistered clinic in Ogale, Eleme, where the operator not only offered medical services without adequate supervision but also conducted an educational program to train unlicensed practitioners.

The operator’s qualifications were insufficient to meet the prerequisites for a complete medical license.

Eleme, another facility in Aleto, was administered by a retired doctoral-level nurse. Despite her educational background, the nurse lacked legal authorisation to manage a medical centre while also running a school on the side.

Another unlicensed practitioner ran a clinic in the same region, adding to the state’s fears about quackery.

Similarly, a factory in Komkom, Oyigbo, run by two foreigners and one Nigerian, was discovered to be recycling syringes and needles, creating serious public health dangers.

A sixth clinic in Oyigbo’s Afam region was administered by a Nigerian with foreign medical expertise but no certification from Nigerian medical authorities or a discharge certificate from the National Youth Service Corps.

The Commissioner expressed worry that these illegal facilities not only provided subpar healthcare services but also taught others about their risky practices.

She observed that the locations of the sealed medical facilities suggest that unregistered health centres are progressively relocating to the periphery of the state capital.

She urged operators of such clinics to apply for formal certification, warning that the state would not tolerate quackery.

She also reminded the public that the state’s contributory health insurance program, which was inaugurated in January, is fully functioning and provides citizens with inexpensive and standard medical care.

The Commissioner added that the Anti-Quackery Committee’s measures were carried out in coordination with security agencies in order to arrest and prosecute if needed.

She emphasised that the state government, led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, is committed to enhancing healthcare access, particularly in underserved communities.

She cited the recent launch of a medical oxygen plant at Eleme’s General Hospital in collaboration with foreign donors as an example of continuous efforts to improve the state’s healthcare infrastructure.

In order to prevent additional declines in the quality of medical care, the Commissioner established new recommendations for individuals and organisations wishing to provide free medical services.

She stated that such individuals are needed to obtain authorisation and consent from the Ministry of Health prior.