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By Dennis Agbo
ENUGU- THE Nigeria Medical Association, NMA has asked both federal and state governments to apply stringent measure on medical quacks so as to curb the practice.
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The Association noted with sadness the toll medical quackrey has taken on lives of Nigerians and asked government to rise up to the challenge of eliminating the odious practice.
Head, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu state, Dr James Akpeh gave the challenge in a seminar in Enugu
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Akpeh decried government’s attitude in checking medical quackery, saying that failure to prosecute them allowed their continued dangerous and fraudulent practices throughout the country.
Speaking on the theme: “The menace of quackery and the contemporary medical practice”, during the 2019 annual General meeting/ Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, held in Enugu, Akpeh stated that inability of government to bring quality healthcare within the reach of all has increased the vulnerability of the people particularly the rural segment.
Akpeh said that ignorance, poverty level, dysfunctional healthcare system, lack of medical doctors in the villages, desire to be rich quick both by individuals and government agents, double taxation of hospitals, faulty loan system and high import duties on medical equipment and consumables had sustained quackery in the health sector.
Akpeh, who is the chairman, Anti-quackery Committee of the NMA, Enugu state, said that government was either doing little or next to nothing in solving the problem of getting the country rid of fake doctors who are responsible for death and injuries than actual cure.
He cited cases of persons who had been arrested in the past for quackery but were not prosecuted to include Martin Okpe, who allegedly worked with federal Ministry of health for nine years with the stolen certificate of Dr George Daniel; David Akpan, who ran a private hospital for 10 years at Gwarimpa area of Abuja with forged and stolen certificates; Sunday Enyi, who worked as Medical doctor at Faith Centre for several years and Babatunde Akinsola whose practice for one year claimed the life of many among others.
He said to contain the spread in Enugu state; the NMA was currently indexing all private hospitals and health facilities in the state, adding that three illegal hospitals were also shut down for operating without any form of registration with the Ministry of health with their operators now on the run.
He gave the names of the affected hospitals to include “Our Testimony hospital;, Ibagwa Aka, Igboeze south, run by Ibuchukwu Asogwa; WellCare new Merit hospital, Coal camp run by Olabisi Philip Olukolade and wife Chinonso Philip and Chimamanda Hospital, Umuadogwa Umuida, Enugu Ezike, all in Enugu state.
He said the state was duty bound to safeguard and protect rights of the citizens by providing basic services, adding that control of quackery was a matter of public education, effective monitoring and regulations.
State chairman of the NMA, Dr Ike Okwesili said the healthcare delivery funded by out of pocket payment would not guarantee access to quality and affordable healthcare for the people.
He also praised the Enugu state government for setting up reforms committee on health sector, stressing that adoption of blueprints of the committee and full operationalization of the state health sector reform law would advance cause of health care delivery in the state.
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