The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has launched a crackdown on illegal and unlicensed medical practitioners, following the death of a pregnant woman at an unregistered clinic in Abuja.
Wike, issued the directive in a statement released on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.
The former Rivers State governor declared, ‘Henceforth, anyone found to be operating or working in an unregistered health facility should be arrested and prosecuted.’
The move comes after 35-year-old Chekwube Chinagorom died following a caesarean section conducted at Afolmi Hospital, an unauthorised private health facility located in Durumi.
READ ALSO: PDP not ready for 2027 election, says Wike
Her newborn baby was delivered alive and later transferred to Asokoro District Hospital for medical attention.
Olayinka described the situation as regrettable, especially considering the availability of free healthcare services for pregnant women under the Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS).
“In the FCT, vulnerable persons, including pregnant women, enjoy free enrolment into the FHIS, which allows them free access, through the Primary Health Care Centres, to all services covered in the Basic Minimum Package of Health Services,” he said.
He also highlighted that Gwarinpa, Nyanya, Abaji, and Kuje General Hospitals have been designated as Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care centres, where caesarean sections are performed at no cost.
“Our pregnant women are once again urged to take advantage of this free health insurance scheme and stop visiting quack medical personnel and unregistered health facilities,” he added.
Investigations by the Private Health Establishments Registration and Monitoring Committee (PHERMC) confirmed that Afolmi Hospital was operating without the necessary approvals.
During an inspection, officials found only one staff member on duty — Mr Simon Elisha Godiya, a Junior Community Health Extension Worker.
The statement revealed that Mr Godiya stated the surgery was carried out by one Murtala Jumma alongside another unidentified person.
All efforts to contact Murtala Jumma by telephone were unsuccessful.
Shortly after officials of the Private Health Establishments Registration and Monitoring Committee (PHERMC) arrived at Afolmi Hospital, officers from the Durumi Divisional Headquarters of the Nigeria Police also reached the scene.
READ ALSO: Atiku will abandon opposition for power deal, Wike’s aide claims
The case was immediately transferred to the police for further investigation.
The officer in charge requested that the PHERMC team accompany them to the station to formally document the incident, a request to which the team complied.
The Nigeria Police are currently working to identify those involved in performing the surgery, verify their medical credentials, and investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of Chekwube Chinagorom at the unregistered facility.
