Rivers Seals 21 Health Facilities, Arrests 3 For Operating Without Licence

The Rivers State government has shut down 21 health facilities and arrested three persons for operating without registration and below the minimum standards prescribed by the state Ministry of Health.

The permanent secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Vincent Wachukwu, disclosed this on Monday in Port Harcourt during the ministry’s Anti-Quackery Committee third-quarter press briefing.

Wachukwu said the action followed surveillance reports on more than 150 health facilities operating without registration and supervision by the ministry across four local government areas that include Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre and Etche.

He said only about 20 per cent of registered health facilities complied with the mandatory annual inspection and renewal of certificates of standards.

“These 20 per cent include both hospitals, diagnostic centres, and maternity homes.

“Now a total of 21 health facilities were shut down with three persons arrested for prosecution by the Ministry of Health across the local government areas. The facilities include eight hospitals, five maternity homes and eight diagnostic centres.

“Nineteen of them were operating without registration and below minimum standard of the Ministry of Health. One facility was registered by the Ministry of Health but even after registration was still operating below minimum standard. At the time of visit there was no licensed doctor nor any other health worker present in the facility,” he said.

The permanent secretary listed some of the sealed facilities as Manda Hospital at Elelenwo, Vasty Clinic at Omoku, Danny Clinic in Port Harcourt Township, Havilla Hospital in Igwuruta, Kambel Hospital at Abara Etche, Golden Era Hospital in Igwuruta and Ola Oluwa Hospital in Igwuruta.

Wachukwu said Manda Hospital at Igwuruta was also found to be involved in suspected child trafficking.

“The operation was equal to suspected child trafficking racketeering in which a Liberian National revealed the procurement of three children within a month from the facility.

“Investigation found the facility operating without registration, no licensed medical practitioners. Operators were arrested by NAPTIP while the facility was sealed off,” he stated.

He said Havilla Hospital in Igwuruta was operated by a man identified as Isaac, who claimed to be a Ukraine-trained doctor since 2013 but had no licence from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

According to him, Isaac was conducting free medical outreaches despite operating without the required licence and in an unregistered facility.

“He was arrested and will also be referred to Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria,” Wachukwu stated.

He said Ola Oluwa Medical Centre in Igwuruta was operated by Sunday Ogundele, who had no medical training but was running the facility from his family residence.

“He has been arrested and handed over to Nigerian Police Force for prosecution for impersonation while his facility was sealed,” he said.

Wachukwu also said the owner of Kambel Hospital in Abara Etche and Golden Era Hospital had no licensed health professional, doctor or nurse working at the facilities.

He said the owner was arrested and the facilities sealed.

On Serah Maternity, Belema Polo, in Enugu Waterfront, Port Harcourt Township, the permanent secretary said the operator was warned and directed to undergo further training and obtain the necessary licensing.

Wachukwu said the operator, whom he identified as a social media influencer, had received some level of training and had a large number of women seeking her services.

He said the ministry decided to engage and retrain her rather than shut down the facility immediately, particularly because traditional birth attendants still had a role to play in maternal healthcare.

“They have their role to play and the state government has also played a role to ensure that they are trained and will continue training them to render proper service.

“But our goal is to ensure that they don’t cross the red line. They should know where they are supposed to stop and refer to a hospital for proper management so that they won’t be killing our mothers,” he stated.

The permanent secretary further disclosed that 16 other facilities that were sealed were found to be unregistered and operating below the minimum standards stipulated by the Rivers State Facility Registration Act No. 2 of 2019.

He reiterated the ministry’s commitment to its regulatory responsibilities and the eradication of quackery in the state as part of efforts to strengthen health security.

Wachukwu said the exercise was a continuation of the ministry’s anti-quackery campaign aimed at shutting down unregistered facilities and those operated below minimum standards or by untrained medical personnel.

He urged members of the public to report suspicious medical facilities and practices to the ministry.

“We mandate all registered facilities to display their certificate of standards at the reception of their facilities. This will enable you and I to know when you enter a facility, if this facility is actually registered by the Rivers State Ministry of Health,” he stated.