The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered a crackdown on unregistered hospitals and quack medical personnel operating within the territory. This directive came in response to the unfortunate death of a pregnant woman at Afolmi Hospital, a private health facility in Durumi, Abuja, which has been found to be unregistered and operating in an unsafe medical environment.
The FCT Minister’s office, through Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, issued a statement emphasizing that any individual caught working in or operating unregistered health facilities should face immediate arrest and prosecution. This action is part of Wike’s efforts to ensure that health services in the FCT meet the highest standards, especially for vulnerable populations such as pregnant women.
The tragedy that prompted the minister’s directive occurred when a 35-year-old woman, Chekwube Chinagorom, was brought in dead to the Asokoro District Hospital. She had died after undergoing a Caesarean section at Afolmi Hospital, which was later discovered to be operating without proper registration or licensing. Despite the free enrollment available for pregnant women in the Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS), which covers all necessary health services, many women continue to visit illegal and substandard health facilities.
At Afolmi Hospital, investigations revealed that the medical staff on duty were not properly qualified. The facility was staffed by only one individual, identified as Mr. Simon Elisha Godiya, a Junior Community Health Extension Worker (JCHEW), who claimed to have been assisting with the surgery. The surgery was allegedly performed by one Murtala Jumma, whose qualifications could not be verified. Attempts to reach Jumma were unsuccessful, and the facility was found lacking the required registration with the Private Health Establishments Registration and Monitoring Committee (PHERMC).
The Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, highlighted the availability of free health services through the Federal Health Insurance Scheme and encouraged expectant mothers to take advantage of these services rather than resort to unregistered and unsafe hospitals. Wike’s administration has been committed to improving maternal health in the FCT, and several hospitals, including Gwarinpa, Nyanya, Abaji, and Kuje General Hospitals, have been designated as Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEONC) centers. These facilities offer caesarean sections free of charge, alongside a range of other maternal and child health services.
Despite these initiatives, a significant number of pregnant women in the FCT still avoid the formal healthcare options available to them, instead choosing to seek help from quack doctors operating in unregistered and unsafe conditions. The case of Chekwube Chinagorom has brought the issue to the forefront, prompting the FCT Minister to take decisive action.
As part of the ongoing investigation, the Private Health Establishments Registration and Monitoring Committee (PHERMC) conducted an inspection of Afolmi Hospital, revealing its unregistered status. Shortly after, a detachment of police officers from the Durumi Divisional Headquarters arrived at the facility, and the case was handed over to the police for further investigation. The police are now working to identify the individuals involved in the surgery and to verify their medical qualifications.
The tragic loss of Chekwube Chinagorom has raised serious concerns about the state of healthcare in the FCT, particularly regarding the operation of illegal hospitals and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals. The FCT government, through Minister Wike’s directive, aims to bring an end to the operation of such facilities and ensure that the health and safety of citizens, especially pregnant women, are prioritized.
The FCTA’s zero-tolerance policy on maternal mortality aligns with the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on improving healthcare delivery and reducing preventable deaths, particularly in rural and underserved areas. The FCT Minister has called on the public to cooperate with health authorities in ensuring that only registered and accredited health facilities operate in the territory.
As the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Chekwube Chinagorom continues, it is expected that more unregistered and unsafe medical facilities in the FCT will be identified and shut down. The Minister’s office has urged residents to report any such facilities and to ensure that they seek medical services only from properly accredited hospitals and health centers.
In the meantime, the Nigeria Police Force is assisting in identifying the individuals responsible for the illegal surgery and determining whether they have the necessary medical qualifications to perform such procedures. The outcome of this investigation is expected to have far-reaching implications for healthcare standards in the FCT and beyond.
The FCT administration’s commitment to ending the operation of quack hospitals and ensuring that proper health services are accessible to all remains unwavering.
