Akwa Ibom to shut down health facilities run by unqualified medical staff

The Akwa Ibom State Government has vowed to shut down all health facilities in the state found to be operating with unqualified medical personnel, in a bid to safeguard public health and restore confidence in the healthcare system.

Ekem John, the state Commissioner for Health, made the announcement on Sunday during a health sector town hall meeting held in Uyo.

He said Governor Umo Eno had issued a directive to the Ministry of Health to enforce strict regulations and eliminate illegal medical practices posing risks to citizens’ lives.

“Today in Akwa Ibom, there is rampant medical quackery, with even tailors passing themselves off as medical doctors,” John lamented.

He said a joint task force had already been inaugurated to clamp down on fake and counterfeit drugs, monitor private health facilities, and root out quacks operating in the state’s health sector.

As part of the wider reforms, the state will also begin a comprehensive re-registration exercise for all private hospitals, medical laboratories, and pharmaceutical outlets.

John said new operational guidelines would soon be released, with all facilities expected to comply within a specified time frame.

“The governor has directed the Ministry of Health to develop a revised guideline, and all private hospitals in the state must be reregistered,” he said.

According to him, the move is intended to ensure that only trained and certified professionals deliver healthcare services to the public.

In a related development, the commissioner announced that the government would launch two new medical oxygen plants in August — one at General Hospital, Ukpum Abak, and the other at Emmanuel General Hospital, Eket. The initiative is aimed at replacing the current reliance on industrial oxygen and improving critical care services.

John also commended the governor for inviting input from health stakeholders into the planning of the proposed Ibom International Hospital, which is expected to become a flagship health institution in the state.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a safer, more reliable healthcare system for all residents of Akwa Ibom.