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Rivers State Government has shut down five hospitals and a patent medicine store across parts of the state, including Port Harcourt, following allegations of child trafficking, illegal medical practice, and quackery. Seven suspects, including operators of the affected facilities, have also been arrested.
The action was carried out by the state Anti-Quackery Committee in collaboration with security agencies after intelligence reports and public complaints exposed widespread illegal medical activities.
Briefing journalists in Port Harcourt, the Chairman of the Anti-Quackery Committee and Permanent Secretary Designate of the Rivers State Ministry of Health, Vincent Wachukwu, said the crackdown was part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the state’s healthcare system.
Wachukwu disclosed that several of the sealed facilities were operated by unqualified individuals who allegedly carried out surgeries, prescribed drugs, and ran unapproved training for auxiliary nurses.
He expressed concern that some of the operators posed as medical professionals while endangering the lives of unsuspecting patients who patronised their facilities.
According to him, one of the most disturbing cases involved allegations of child trafficking, where a facility operator was accused of swapping deceased babies with living ones and falsely informing mothers that their newborns had died during delivery.
He said the suspect involved in the alleged trafficking has been arrested, while investigations are ongoing in collaboration with security agencies to ensure prosecution.
Among the sealed facilities are PLARIV Hospital in Omoku, Good Shepherd Hospital in ONELGA, Blessed GoodNews Clinic in Port Harcourt, ESTATE Clinic in Obio/Akpor, a patent medicine shop in Ndele, and EL DONA Hospital in Elekahia.
Wachukwu also revealed that a 20-year-old girl reportedly died after receiving an injection administered at an unlicensed patent medicine store in Emohua Local Government Area.
He added that the operator of the facility was not available at the time of the operation but remains on the run, with authorities receiving support from the community to track her down.
The health official further stated that some of the illegal facilities were also running unauthorised training programmes for individuals posing as nurses without proper certification or regulatory approval.
He stressed that the government will not tolerate any form of medical quackery or illegal healthcare services that endanger public safety.
Wachukwu commended security agencies, including the police, DSS, and Civil Defence Corps, as well as the media, for their support in exposing and dismantling the illegal operations.
He warned that all NGOs, private hospitals, and religious organisations planning medical outreach programmes in the state must obtain approval from the Ministry of Health before proceeding, adding that defaulters will face prosecution.
