Rivers State Closes 21 Health Facilities, Arrests Three for Illegal Operations

The Rivers State Government has closed down 21 health facilities for allegedly operating without proper registration and failing to meet health standards set by the Ministry of Health.

The government also arrested three people connected to some of these illegal facilities for prosecution.

Dr Vincent Wachukwu, the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Health, shared this news on Monday during the ministry’s press briefing on their anti-quackery efforts in Port Harcourt.

Wachukwu explained that the enforcement action was taken by a task force set up by the ministry, with support from security agencies.

He mentioned that reports showed over 150 health facilities were running without registration and supervision from the ministry across five local government areas: Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Etche, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni.

According to him, only about 20 percent of registered health facilities follow the rules for annual inspection and certificate renewal.

"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 noted that the affected facilities included eight hospitals, five maternity homes, and eight diagnostic centres.

He added that 19 of these facilities were operating without proper registration and below the ministry’s standards, while one registered facility was also found lacking.

"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 in Elelenwo, Obio/Akpor; Vasty Clinic in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni; Danny Clinic in Port Harcourt Township; Havilla Hospital in Igwuruta, Obio/Akpor; Kambel Hospital in Abara, Etche; Golden Era Hospital in Igwuruta; and Ola Oluwa Hospital in Igwuruta, both located in Ikwerre.

He said Manda Hospital, Igwuruta, was allegedly involved in 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 mentioned that Havilla Hospital, Igwuruta, run by a man named Isaac, was found to be operating illegally.

He said the operator claimed to be a doctor trained in Ukraine and had been conducting free medical outreach 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 pointed out that Ola Oluwa Medical Centre in Igwuruta was also unregistered and operated by a man named Sunday Ogundele, who allegedly lacked medical training but ran the facility from his family home.

"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 noted that the owner of Kambel Hospital in Abara and Golden Era Hospital had no licensed health professionals, including doctors or nurses, working there.

He said the owner was arrested and the facilities sealed.

Wachukwu added that the operator of Serah Maternity in Belema Polo, Port Harcourt Township, was warned and told to undergo further training and obtain the necessary licences.

He explained that the operator, a social media influencer focusing on women’s health, had many patients despite working as a traditional birth attendant.

According to him, the ministry decided to support her because she had some level of training and could help train other traditional birth attendants.

"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 did not meet the minimum standards set by the Rivers State Facility Registration Act No. 2 of 2019.

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

The permanent secretary urged the public to report any 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.