The Rivers State Government has shut down 21 health facilities and arrested three persons following an enforcement exercise targeting unregistered and substandard healthcare facilities across four local government areas of the state.
The Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Health and Chairman of the Anti-Quackery Committee, Dr Vincent Wachukwu, disclosed this on Monday during the ministry’s third-quarter press briefing in Port Harcourt.
According to him, the enforcement operation followed surveillance reports indicating that more than 150 health facilities were operating without proper registration, regulatory supervision or compliance with the state’s minimum healthcare standards.
Wachukwu said the affected facilities comprised eight hospitals, five maternity homes and eight diagnostic centres, located across Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre and Etche Local Government Areas.
He explained that 19 of the 21 facilities were operating without registration and below the minimum standards prescribed by the Ministry of Health, while another facility, despite being registered, was found to be operating below the required standard.
He said inspectors discovered that there was no licensed doctor, nurse or other appropriate health professional present at the registered facility when the inspection was conducted.
Manda Hospital linked to suspected child trafficking
One of the most serious discoveries during the enforcement operation involved Manda Clinic and Maternity in Elelenwo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, which was sealed following a joint operation involving the Ministry of Health and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
Wachukwu said the operation followed intelligence concerning alleged child-trafficking activities at the facility.
According to him, a Liberian national encountered during the operation reportedly disclosed that three children had been procured from the facility within one month.
He said further investigation established that the facility was operating without registration and without licensed medical practitioners.
The operators were subsequently arrested by NAPTIP for investigation and prosecution, while the Ministry of Health sealed the facility.
The Permanent Secretary stressed that the enforcement campaign was part of the state government’s broader effort to eradicate quackery and protect residents from unsafe medical practices.
“The Rivers State Ministry of Health is fully committed to its regulatory function and is committed to eradicating quackery from Rivers State as part of our mandate on health security,” Wachukwu said.
Unlicensed practitioners arrested
The enforcement team also uncovered facilities allegedly being operated by individuals without the necessary professional qualifications or licences.
Wachukwu cited Havilla Hospital in Igwuruta as one of the facilities. He said its operator, identified as Mr Isaac, claimed to have undergone medical training in Ukraine in 2013 but could not produce a licence from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
He said Isaac was arrested and would be referred to the appropriate professional regulatory body for further action.
Another facility, Ola-Oluwa Medical Centre in Igwuruta, was also shut down after inspectors allegedly discovered that its operator, identified as Sunday Ogundele, had no medical training or professional licence.
Ogundele was arrested and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for prosecution over alleged impersonation, according to the ministry.
The ministry also shut Kambel Hospital in Abara-Etche and Golden Era Hospital in Igwuruta after inspectors allegedly found that neither facility had a licensed doctor or nurse available to provide professional healthcare services.
Other facilities listed among those sealed include Vasty Clinic in Omoku, Danny Clinic and Daba Clinic in the old Port Harcourt Township, and Ola-Oluwa Medical Centre in Igwuruta, among others.
Ministry warns healthcare operators
Wachukwu said the remaining 16 facilities sealed during the exercise were found to be operating without registration and below the minimum standards stipulated under the Rivers State Facility Registration Act No. 2 of 2019.
He warned that the ministry would sustain its anti-quackery campaign and continue to sanction facilities that fail to meet the required standards.
The ministry also raised concern over compliance with mandatory annual inspection and renewal of Certificates of Standards.
According to Wachukwu, only about 20 per cent of registered health facilities monitored were complying with the mandatory annual inspection and renewal requirements.
Over 1,000 women reportedly patronise maternity facility
The ministry also inspected Sarah Maternity at Belema Polo, Enugu Waterside, operated by a popular social-media traditional birth attendant.
Wachukwu said the facility had a patient register containing more than 1,000 women and reportedly received more than 200 women daily.
Rather than immediately shutting down the facility, the ministry issued the operator a warning and established guidelines relating to practice, supervision and advertising.
The operator was also designated as a contact point for other traditional birth attendants and maternity operators on the need for proper supervision and training.
Wachukwu said traditional birth attendants still had a role to play in maternal healthcare but warned that they must understand the limits of their practice and refer complicated cases to properly equipped hospitals.
Residents urged to verify certificates
The Permanent Secretary urged residents to patronise only health facilities that are properly registered and meet the state’s prescribed standards.
He directed all registered facilities to prominently display their Certificates of Standards at their reception areas, saying this would allow members of the public to verify whether a facility had been approved by the Ministry of Health.
He also urged individuals and corporate organisations to ensure that healthcare services are obtained only from facilities with verified Certificates of Standards.
The ministry, he added, would continue working with the Police, NAPTIP, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Medical Association and other relevant professional bodies to strengthen healthcare regulation and eliminate quackery in Rivers State. �
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