The Rivers State Government has shut down 21 health facilities for allegedly operating without registration and below the minimum standards prescribed by the Ministry of Health.

The government also arrested three persons allegedly linked to the operation of some of the illegal facilities for prosecution.

The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Vincent Wachukwu, disclosed this on Monday during the ministry’s third-quarter anti-quackery committee press briefing in Port Harcourt.

Wachukwu said the enforcement operation was carried out by a task force set up by the ministry, with the support of security operatives.

He said the action followed surveillance reports indicating that more than 150 health facilities were operating without registration and supervision by the ministry across five local government areas: Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Etche and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni.

According to him, only about 20 per cent of registered health facilities comply with the mandatory annual inspection and renewal of certificates of standards.

“These include 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,” he stated.

Wachukwu said the affected facilities comprised eight hospitals, five maternity homes and eight diagnostic centres.

He added that 19 of the facilities were operating without registration and below the ministry’s minimum standards, while one registered facility was also found to be operating below the required standards.

“At the time of visit, there was no licensed doctor nor any other health worker present in the facility,” he said.

Wachukwu listed some of the sealed facilities as Manda Hospital, Elelenwo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area; Vasty Clinic, Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA; Danny Clinic, Port Harcourt Township; Havilla Hospital, Igwuruta, Obio/Akpor LGA; Kambel Hospital, Abara, Etche LGA; Golden Era Hospital, Igwuruta; and Ola Oluwa Hospital, Igwuruta, both in Ikwerre LGA.

He said Manda Hospital, Igwuruta, was allegedly involved in suspected child trafficking.

“The operation was linked 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 and without licensed medical practitioners. The operators were arrested by NAPTIP while the facility was sealed,” he said.

Wachukwu also said Havilla Hospital, Igwuruta, operated by a man identified as Isaac, was found to be operating illegally.

He said the operator claimed to be a Ukraine-trained doctor and had been conducting free medical outreaches but had no licence from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

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

He said Ola Oluwa Medical Centre, Igwuruta, was also unregistered and operated by a man identified as Sunday Ogundele, who allegedly had no medical training but ran the facility from his family residence.

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

The permanent secretary further said the owner of Kambel Hospital, Abara, Etche, and Golden Era Hospital had no licensed health professionals, including doctors or nurses, working at the facilities.

He said the owner was arrested and the facilities sealed.

Wachukwu, however, said the operator of Serah Maternity, Belema Polo, in Port Harcourt Township, was warned and directed to undergo further training and obtain the necessary licensing.

He said the operator, a social media influencer who focuses on women’s health and infertility issues, had a large number of patients despite operating as a traditional birth attendant.

According to him, the ministry decided to work with her because she had some level of training and could help reach other traditional birth attendants on the need for proper training.

“We can’t stop traditional birth attendants completely. 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 said.

Wachukwu added that 16 other facilities that were sealed were found to be unregistered and failed to meet the minimum standards stipulated by the Rivers State Facility Registration Act No. 2 of 2019.

He reiterated the ministry’s commitment to enforcing health regulations and eradicating quackery in the state.

The permanent secretary said the exercise was part of the government’s continuing anti-quackery campaign to shut down unregistered facilities and those operated by untrained personnel or without the required minimum standards.

He urged members of the public to report suspicious health 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,” Wachukwu stated. (PUNCH)

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