Rivers State has intensified efforts against illegal medical practices, sealing facilities and prosecuting offenders.
Authorities insist the crackdown aims to safeguard public health and restore trust in certified healthcare providers.
The Rivers State Government has intensified its clampdown on quack medical practices, sealing several facilities and arresting individuals accused of operating illegally in the health sector.
Chairman of the Rivers State Anti-Quackery Committee, Dr. Vincent Wachukwu, disclosed this during a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Thursday. He noted that despite the state’s continuous efforts, reports of quackery persisted from residents, civil society groups, and professional associations.
During a recent enforcement exercise, the committee sealed multiple facilities for alleged malpractice. Among them was Bristol Clinic and Maternity in Rumuodomaya, Obio/Akpor LGA, which had been shut down over a decade ago but was reportedly reopened without a Certificate of Standard. The facility was run by Mr. Kingsley Ugwu, who allegedly posed as a doctor while surgeries were conducted in unsafe conditions by auxiliary nurses. He has since been arrested and will face prosecution for impersonation and quackery.
Another establishment, Adoration Hospital and Maternity Ltd, located in Omagwa, Ikwerre LGA, has also been shut down. According to Wachukwu, the hospital operated from a converted shop space, offering maternity and surgical services without licensed staff, while also training auxiliary nurses.
The task force further sealed Lucky Pharmacy in Omagwa after discovering that it had been converted into a treatment center where patients were admitted and treated. The case has been referred to the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN).
Sosan Medical Centre, Laboratory and School of Nursing, located off Okporo Road in Obio/Akpor, was similarly shut down. The facility, described as an unregistered centre operating out of a duplex that also served as a residence, NGO, and nurse training school. The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria has been informed of disciplinary action against its proprietor.
In Aluu, Ikwerre LGA, the committee inspected the premises of Miss Rejoice Ogbia, a patent medicine dealer previously warned against administering IV drugs and running birth services. While no patients were found during the visit, Wachukwu confirmed her activities remain under surveillance.
He stressed that quackery was not unique to Rivers State but warned that the government would pursue offenders vigorously. “No religious body, NGO, private hospital, or individual is authorized to carry out free medical care without the ministry’s approval. Any violation will face the full wrath of the law,” he said.
Wachukwu also cautioned health workers who aid quacks and media organizations that advertise such illegal outfits, insisting they would be held accountable. He encouraged citizens to take advantage of the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Program to obtain safe and certified healthcare.
The clampdown, he said, is part of the government’s ongoing effort to safeguard public health and restore confidence in the state’s medical system.
