Rivers Govt Seals 2 Health Facilities For Engaging In Illegal Practices

The Rivers State government has sealed a private health facility located in Bori, headquarters of Khana local government area of the state and another one located in Port Harcourt, for engaging in illegal medical practices.

The afftected health facilities were Ade-One Hospital and Caprica Spa, located in Bori and Port Harcourt, respectively.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, who disclosed this while briefing journalists in Port Harcourt on Monday, said the state government has also placed another private health facility, Saint Thomas Hospital, located in Eleme, near Port Harcourt under watch.

Oreh stated that while the two sealed facilities were carrying out surgical procedures and other medical services with non-qualified personnel, Saint Thomas Hospital was carrying out medical outreach services without an authority from the Ministry of Health.

She said: “When we set up the Anti-Quackery committee of the Rivers State Ministry of Health, aimed at sanitising our healthcare environment, we hoped that it would have sent a very strong message at a very short time. Those practitioners that have been conducting themselves without the necessary licencing, without the necessary qualifications backing the necessary, without the personnel to deliver healthcare services.

“We hoped that they would find a way to correct whatever establishment they had going on, seeking the advice and guidance of the Rivers State Ministry of Health on how to proceed with their practice and services they provide in their facilities.

“Unfortunately, we have three facilities that had to be sealed in the past one week. Ade-One Hospital, located in Bori, Khana local government area; Saint Thomas Hospital in Eleme and Caprica Spa in Port Harcourt.

“Now, the Anti-Quackery committee working very closely with the Nigerian Medical Association looks out for certain things. First of all, it is not about thw building, the facade and the facility itself, the manpower, who are delivering such healthcare services must have the requisite qualifications, the requisite licensing and registration for them to carry out certain services.

“Now, for the two hospitals, they have been run by practitioners, they are indeed doctors but several places, we have observed that subsequent surgical training required to carry our surgical procedure is lacking. In most of the surgical procedures, they are using unqualified personnel to deliver surgical services. Now, those are recipes for disaster.

“So, for everyone who walks into such facilities, their lives are at risk because the personnel there does not have the necessary qualifications and training to ensure that medical services and surgical procedures are carried out in the facilities.

“For the Caprica Spa, the proprietor is an engineer with so-called eastentic qualification that can either be recognised or identified. The facility is providing liposuction body-part enlargement services, advertising and promoting via social media and enticing unsuspecting public through their facility.”