Nigerian governor vows to prosecute quack doctors

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has vowed to prosecute quack doctors working in health facilities in the state.

Mr Mbah announced this while speaking at the 49th Annual General Meeting and 48th Scientific Conference of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria in Enugu on Friday, according to a statement by his media team.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, the governor said he had put measures in place to track down such quack doctors in the state.

“We have just recently set up a team to address quackery in Enugu State to ensure that those who have no qualifications have no business being in our health care facilities. Culpable persons engaging in these illegal and unethical practices will be dealt with in accordance with the law if caught” he said.

Strengthening healthcare and education sectors

Mr Mbah said his administration was committed to strengthening the healthcare and education sectors in the state.

He assured that his government would ensure the provision of quality medical care services to residents of the state.

“Enugu State is a centre right now for educational and health advancement,” he said.

The governor announced that the State Executive Council had approved the establishment of Enugu International Hospital at Rangers Avenue, Independence Layout, Enugu.

The hospital, he said, would create opportunities for specialist areas which would take care of medical tourism.

“The hospital will be fully equipped and manned by those that are very knowledgeable in hospital management, with quality academics and health practitioners.”

‘Migration of Nigerian health practitioners is worrisome’

Mr Mbah further said the state government was building 260 primary healthcare centres in the 260 electoral wards across the state.

He said the government plans to establish more secondary and tertiary hospitals.

The governor decried the mass migration of Nigerian healthcare professionals outside the country, describing it as “worrisome.”

He said his administration had fully implemented the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for medical practitioners in Enugu State to discourage migration of health professionals.

CONMESS is the salary structure for all medical and dental practitioners in federal health facilities in Nigeria.

Earlier designed to take effect from January 2023, the salary structure was adopted to prevent brain drain and rural-urban migration among doctors in the country.

Ophthalmological practice in Enugu

While fielding questions from reporters, the Commissioner for Health in Enugu, Ikechukwu Obi, said ophthalmological practice has come to stay in the state.

Mr Obi, a professor, said the expected coming of the international hospital will further improve the practice in the state.

“So, you can see very clearly that ophthalmological practice has been in Enugu in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital and the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Parklane, and soon it will also be at the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences Teaching Hospital, Igbo-Eno, and even the multiple specialist eye clinics can now be possible because we are bringing in the Enugu International Hospital that is going to be right in the centre of the city, at Rangers Avenue, and then, every level of specialist eye care can be possible in that area of specialisation,” he said.