By Ado Oyeyemi
The Rivers State Government has shut down five hospitals and a patent medicine store while arresting seven suspects over alleged involvement in child trafficking, illegal medical practices, and other health-related offences.
The enforcement action followed investigations conducted by the State Anti-Quackery Committee in collaboration with security agencies after complaints were received from members of the public.
Speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Anti-Quackery Committee and Permanent Secretary-designate in the Ministry of Health, Dr Vincent Wachukwu, said the affected facilities were found to be operating outside approved medical standards.
According to him, investigations revealed that some of the establishments were managed by unqualified individuals who allegedly carried out surgical procedures, prescribed medications, and treated patients without the necessary professional licences and certifications.
Wachukwu also disclosed that some operators ran unauthorised training programmes for aspiring nurses despite lacking accreditation from relevant regulatory bodies.
One of the facilities, EL DONA Hospital in Elekahia, Port Harcourt, was allegedly linked to child trafficking activities.
He alleged that the hospital’s proprietor deceived mothers into believing their newborn babies had died during delivery, while allegedly exchanging the infants and selling the surviving babies.
“The facility was operating without registration and was involved in child trafficking.
All staff members were arrested and the hospital has been sealed,” Wachukwu said.
He added that preliminary findings suggested that some women who delivered at the facility were falsely informed that their babies had died, while the newborns were allegedly sold.
The health official assured that the state government would support law enforcement agencies to ensure those implicated face prosecution.
The affected facilities include PLARIV Hospital on Kreigeni Road, Omoku; Good Shepherd Hospital, Omoku; Blessed GoodNews Clinic in Port Harcourt; ESTATE Clinic in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area; a patent medicine store in Ndele, Emohua Local Government Area; and EL DONA Hospital in Elekahia.
Wachukwu further disclosed that the patent medicine store in Ndele was sealed following the death of a 20-year-old female resident allegedly linked to an injection administered by the operator.
He explained that the victim, who had recently completed her secondary education and was awaiting admission into a higher institution, reportedly died after receiving treatment from the outlet.
According to him, the operator, who is not a trained medical practitioner, remains at large, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend her.
The committee also accused the proprietor of PLARIV Hospital in Omoku of operating the facility without proper qualifications and allegedly conducting surgeries despite lacking the required medical training and licence.
Wachukwu stated that more than 60 trainees were discovered during an inspection of the facility, which was also running an unapproved auxiliary nursing school.
He said the proprietor had been arrested and would be prosecuted.
The committee chairman noted that six facilities were sealed during the latest operation, while seven suspects were taken into custody.
He commended the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and media organisations for supporting the campaign against medical quackery in the state.
Wachukwu also warned private hospitals, non-governmental organisations, and religious bodies intending to conduct medical outreaches in Rivers State to obtain prior approval from the Ministry of Health.
He stressed that violators of the directive would face appropriate sanctions, adding that the government remained committed to sanitising the healthcare sector and protecting residents from unqualified practitioners.
