The Rivers State Ministry of Health has sealed 21 health facilities across four Local Government Areas of the state over alleged failure to register with the government and non-compliance with prescribed healthcare standards.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Vincent Wachukwu, disclosed this during the Ministry’s third-quarter press briefing in Port Harcourt.
Wachukwu said the affected facilities comprised eight hospitals, five maternity homes and eight diagnostic centres located in Port Harcourt City, Obio-Akpor, Ikwerre and Etche Local Government Areas.
According to him, 19 of the facilities were unregistered and operating below the required standards, while another registered facility was found without a licensed doctor or nurse during a random inspection.
He further disclosed that only about 20 per cent of registered health facilities in Rivers State comply with the mandatory annual inspection and renewal of their Certificates of Standards.
The Permanent Secretary added that three persons were arrested during the enforcement exercise and would face prosecution.
Wachukwu also revealed that the Ministry, working with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, sealed Manda Clinic and Maternity in Elelenwo over alleged involvement in child trafficking.
He said the action followed information allegedly provided by a Liberian national, who reportedly disclosed that three children had been procured from the facility within one month.
The Permanent Secretary further disclosed that two operators of unregistered health facilities in Ikwerre Local Government Area were arrested.
One of them, identified as Isaac, an operator of Havilla Hospital in Igwuruta, was allegedly found practising without a licence from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
He said another operator, Sunday Ogundele of Ola-Oluwa Medical Centre, was arrested and handed over to the police over alleged impersonation.
Wachukwu warned operators against running unregistered health facilities and directed all registered facilities to prominently display their Certificates of Standards at their reception areas.
He also urged members of the public to report suspected cases of quackery and other illegal medical practices to the Ministry.
