THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered a complete crackdown on unregistered hospitals and quack medical practitioners operating within the FCT.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the minister, Lere Olayinka, on Saturday, April 26.
Olayinka revealed that the minister issued the directive in response to the tragic death of a pregnant woman after undergoing a caesarean section at a private health facility in Durumi, Abuja.
The minister recounted that on Friday, April 25, 35-year-old Chekwube Chinagorom was brought to Asokoro District Hospital already dead.
According to him, she passed away after undergoing a caesarean section at an unregistered private hospital in Durumi, Abuja, which was operating under substandard and unsafe conditions.
He added that the baby was delivered alive and had been transferred to the Asokoro District Hospital for proper care.
He further revealed that an investigation conducted by the Private Health Establishments Registration and Monitoring Committee (PHERMC) revealed that the hospital was not duly registered.
“At the time of inspection, only one staff member, Simon Godiya, who identified himself as a Junior Community Health Extension Worker, was on duty,” the minister noted in the statement.
He further said that Godiya reported that the surgical operation was performed by one Murtala Jumma in conjunction with another unidentified individual.
The minister expressed regret that despite the free registration of pregnant women under the FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS), many were still not taking advantage of the opportunity.
“In the FCT, vulnerable persons, including pregnant women, enjoy free enrollment into the FHIS.
“This allows them free access to all services covered in the Basic Minimum Package of Health Services, through the Primary Health Care centres,” he noted.
He further warned that anyone caught running an illegal facility or working in an unregistered health centre would be arrested and prosecuted.
“Also, in alignment with the Federal Government’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ and the Wike-led FCTA’s zero tolerance for maternal mortality, several hospitals in the FCT, including Gwarinpa, Nyanya, Abaji, and Kuje General Hospitals, have been designated as Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care centres.
“These facilities also offer cesarean sections free of charge,” he said.
He advised pregnant women to make use of the free health insurance scheme and avoid seeking care from quack medical personnel and unregistered health facilities.
He further said that the case had been handed over to the police for further investigation.
“The Nigeria Police is currently assisting in identifying the individuals responsible for the surgery, verifying their qualifications, and investigating the circumstances that led to the death of Chekwube Chinagorom,” he said.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.