Rivers shuts 21 health facilities, arrests three over quackery

The Rivers State Ministry of Health has clamped down on 21 substandard and unregistered medical facilities across four local government areas, arresting three individuals during its third-quarter inspection and enforcement campaign.

The sweeping enforcement drive, covering Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, and Etche Local Government Areas, targeted a mix of eight hospitals, five maternity centers, and eight diagnostic laboratories. According to state health authorities, 19 of the sealed establishments were completely unregistered and operating far below mandated healthcare benchmarks, while another registered facility was shut down after inspectors found it operating without any licensed doctors or nurses on duty.

Addressing a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Monday, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Chairman of the State Anti-Quackery Committee, Dr. Vincent Wachukwu, emphasized that the crackdown is critical to safeguarding public health.

“Rivers State Ministry of Health is fully committed to its regulatory function and is committed to eradicating quackery from Rivers State as part of its mandate on health security,” Dr. Wachukwu stated, advising citizens to verify that medical centers prominently display their official “Certificate of Standards” before seeking treatment.

Among the high-profile closures was the Manda Clinic and Maternity in Elelenwo, which was sealed in a joint operation with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) over suspected child-trafficking activities.

Authorities intervened after a Liberian national confessed to procuring three children from the unlicensed facility within a single month.

In Igwuruta, the ministry shut down Havilla Hospital and arrested its operator, identified as Isaac, who allegedly operated without a valid license from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) despite claiming foreign medical training. 

Similarly, the operator of the Ola Oluwa Medical Centre, Sunday Ogundele, was arrested and handed over to police for alleged impersonation after inspectors discovered he lacked any medical qualifications or licensing. Additional closures included Kambel Hospital in Abara-Etche and Golden Era Hospital in Igwuruta due to a total absence of qualified medical personnel.

The ministry also inspected Sarah Maternity at Belema Polo in the Enugu Waterside area, run by a prominent social media traditional birth attendant, which reportedly manages a patient volume exceeding 1,000 women and daily traffic of over 200 visitors. 

While avoiding an immediate shutdown, authorities issued an official warning to the operator, designating the clinic as a pilot contact point for regulatory training, guideline compliance, and safety standards among traditional birth attendants.

State officials noted that the statewide surveillance initiative was launched after intelligence reports indicated that over 150 medical outfits were operating without official registration, with only 20 percent of legally registered facilities maintaining compliance with annual inspections and certificate renewals.

Dr. Wachukwu extended appreciation to allied security and professional agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), NAPTIP, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), for partnering with the state government to purge illicit medical practices throughout 2026.
 

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