The Nasarawa State ministry of health has shut down 126 illegal healthcare outfits in the state.

Most of the healthcare facilities whose operations were shut down by officials of the ministry’s inspectorate unit are located in the Karu local government area of the state

Leader of the team, Thomas Affi, who is director of clinical service of the ministry, said the action was to enable the state tackle the high cases of quackery in the health.

Affi, who spoke after an inspection of several clinics in the area, noted that the activities of fake health personnel had negatively affected the health condition of many residents.

He said the exercise was principally aimed at identifying genuine practitioner and curtailing the activities of the fake ones.

“His Excellency, Governor Tanko Al-Makura and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, have empowered us to embark on the exercise in order to tackle quackery, unhealthy practices in order to safeguard the lives of Nigerians.

We began this exercise in March in Karu, we covered a total of 112 clinics and hospitals out of which only 16 clinics have their operational licenses, while 96 are operating illegally and were immediately closed down,” Affi said.

He added that on Monday, May 11, the unit discovered 30 new illegal clinics and hospitals that were immediately shut down bringing the total to 126 that have been closed in Karu Local Government Area.

He said the operations were still ongoing to close other illegal facilities.