A wave of public outrage has followed the tragic death of a patient, Mrs. Victoria Paris, during a caesarean section at an illegal health facility in Rivers State allegedly operated by unlicensed personnel.
The Rivers State Government, through its Interprofessional Anti-Quackery Committee, has sealed off the clinic as part of its ongoing crackdown on medical quackery.
The now-shuttered facility, housed in a converted three-bedroom apartment and owned by one Mrs. Comfort Etuk, was originally registered to offer basic maternity services.
However, authorities revealed the facility had been illegally upgraded into a six-bed clinic offering surgical procedures, including high-risk operations like caesarean sections, without the required infrastructure, licensing, or qualified staff.
“The facility lacked certified medical personnel and was being operated by auxiliary nurses who practiced far beyond the scope of their training,” said Dr. Hope Avundaa, spokesperson for the Rivers State Interprofessional Anti-Quackery Committee.
According to findings from an unscheduled inspection led by Dr. Vincent Wachukwu, Director of Medical Services and head of the committee, the facility operated without a licensed doctor or nurse, performed surgeries in a poorly equipped environment, and lacked any semblance of a sterilization unit or Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) standards.
In response, Dr. Wachukwu immediately revoked the registration of the facility and ordered its permanent closure.
All health workers, including any licensed doctors who may have been affiliated with the facility, have been summoned to appear before the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) for disciplinary action.
The Rivers State Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Diamond Tamunokuro, condemned the complicity of certified medical professionals who lend credibility to such quack setups by associating with unregulated and substandard facilities.
“This is a gross betrayal of professional ethics. No licensed doctor should associate with or enable the operation of facilities that endanger lives,” Dr. Tamunokuro said.
The incident has once again spotlighted the deadly consequences of unregulated healthcare in Nigeria, where desperate citizens, often priced out of quality care, fall victim to charlatans masquerading as health providers.
Public health advocates are urging the state to not only close erring facilities but also pursue legal action against perpetrators to serve as a deterrent.
The Rivers State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the NMA and other healthcare associations, has vowed to intensify its anti-quackery drive.
Mrs. Victoria Paris’ death, however, is a sobering reminder that for every illegal clinic that is exposed, countless others continue to operate in the shadows, a silent threat to public health.
It would be recall that The Story, had published that a tragic and avoidable death has rocked the Borikiri area of Port Harcourt, where 33-year-old Victoria Paris, seven months pregnant and a mother of four, reportedly died following a cesarean section at Standard Maternity Hospital.
