Rivers State health authorities have arrested four people, including a suspected fake surgeon, and sealed eight health facilities during an enforcement exercise in October. The operation, conducted by the Rivers State Ministry of Health, targeted medical quackery, impersonation, and the operation of unregistered facilities.
Fake Surgeon Caught Before Surgery
A video captured the moment authorities apprehended a suspected quack doctor as he prepared to perform goitre surgery on a patient. Two suspected quacks were arrested while allegedly attempting to perform thyroid surgery on an unsuspecting patient at an illegal clinic in Rivers. The video showed a young man who claimed to be an apprentice of the clinic's operator beside the patient, who was about to undergo surgery. It also revealed medical equipment allegedly used at the illegal facility.
The major discovery was an illegal health facility inside a residential compound at 27 Victoria Street. The two suspected quacks, identified as Ataisi Jephtha and Mgboawaji Edwin, were allegedly caught while attempting to perform a thyroidectomy on an unsuspecting patient. Jephtha allegedly posed as a surgeon, while Edwin was identified as his accomplice. Both were arrested, and the facility was sealed.
Eight Facilities Sealed, Four Arrested
The enforcement exercise led to the sealing of eight health facilities and the arrest of four people. In a statement issued by the ministry's Press Officer, Edna Alete, officials said five other hospitals and two laboratory centres were also shut down for operating without registration or failing to meet minimum standards.
The Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Vincent Wachukwu, warned that licensed medical practitioners who work in unregistered or substandard facilities would also face penalties under the guidelines of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
Recent Crackdown on Fake Facilities
The latest enforcement exercise comes barely a week after the state sealed 21 other suspected fake medical facilities. This raises further concerns about illegal healthcare operations and the risks they pose to patients. The ministry's actions underscore a continued effort to clamp down on unregistered and substandard health facilities in Rivers State.
