The Rivers State Government has sealed six health facilities and arrested seven people in a crackdown on child trafficking and unlicensed medical practice in Port Harcourt and other parts of the state.
The operation was carried out by the state Anti-Quackery Committee with support from security agencies, following public complaints. The committee’s chairman, Vincent Wachukwu, said the facilities were run by unqualified individuals who performed surgeries, prescribed drugs, and even ran illegal nurse training programs.
One of the sealed facilities, EL DONA Hospital in Elekahia, Port Harcourt, was accused of child trafficking. Wachukwu alleged the operator swapped dead babies for newborns and sold the live babies to buyers. All staff at the facility were arrested.
At a patent drug shop in Ndele, Emohua LGA, a 20-year-old girl reportedly died after being injected with an unknown substance by an untrained operator. The operator is on the run.
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Other sealed facilities include PLARIV Hospital in Omoku, Good Shepherd Hospital in ONELGA, Blessed GoodNews Clinic in Port Harcourt, ESTATE Clinic in Obio/Akpor, and the patent drug shop in Ndele.
At PLARIV Hospital, over 60 people were found undergoing training by a non-medical practitioner with no license to operate or teach.
Wachukwu said the government will support the police to prosecute all suspects and warned NGOs, private hospitals, and religious bodies to get approval before conducting free medical outreaches.
The committee said the fight against quackery in Rivers has made significant progress in the last two years.
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