The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has ordered a total clampdown on unregistered hospitals and quack medical personnel operating within the capital territory.
Wike warned that “henceforth, anyone found to be operating or working in an unregistered health facility should be arrested and prosecuted.”
He issued the order following the death of a 35-year-old pregnant woman, Chekwube Chinagorom, at Afolmi Hospital, a private health facility located in the Durumi area of Abuja.
Chinagorom died after a failed caesarean section, and her corpse has since been deposited at the Asokoro District Hospital mortuary, while her baby is receiving medical attention.
Afolmi is reported to be an unregistered private facility operating in a substandard and unsafe medical environment.
In response, the Private Health Establishments Registration and Monitoring Committee, PHERMC, stated that Afolmi Hospital was not duly registered.
PHERMC also conducted an inspection of the hospital premises following the incident.
During the inspection, only one staff member, Mr Simon Elisha Godiya, who identified himself as a Junior Community Health Extension Worker, JCHEW, was found on duty.
Godiya reported that one Murtala Jumma and another unidentified individual performed the surgery on the late Chinagorom.
A detachment of officers from the Nigeria Police Force, Durumi Divisional Headquarters, was dispatched to the premises of the hospital.
Upon their arrival, the PHERMC team immediately handed over the matter 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 the late Chekwube Chinagorom at Afolmi Hospital.
However, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the minister lamented that pregnant women are not taking advantage of the free registration of the FCT Health Insurance Scheme, FHIS.
He said, “In the FCT, vulnerable persons, including pregnant women, enjoy free enrollment into the FHIS, which allows them free access, through the Primary Health Care, PHC, centres, to all services covered in the Basic Minimum Package of Health Services, BMPHS.
“Also, in alignment with the Federal Government's Renewed Hope Agenda and demonstrating 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, CEONC centres. These facilities also offer cesarean sections free of charge.
“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.”
