FCT Minister Orders Crackdown on Unregistered Hospitals and Quack Medical Personnel in Abuja

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has instructed authorities to initiate a comprehensive crackdown on unregistered hospitals and unqualified medical personnel operating within Abuja.

The directive follows the tragic death of a pregnant woman at a private health facility in Durumi after undergoing a caesarean section.

Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the minister, issued a statement on Saturday outlining the action. The minister emphasized that any individual found operating an unregistered healthcare facility will be arrested and prosecuted.

Wike also expressed concern over the underutilization of the Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS), which offers free registration for pregnant women. He urged expectant mothers to take advantage of the scheme, which covers essential health services through Primary Health Care centers. He also highlighted several hospitals in the FCT, including Gwarinpa, Nyanya, Abaji, and Kuje General Hospitals, which provide free emergency obstetric and neonatal care, including caesarean sections.

The incident that prompted the minister’s intervention involved 35-year-old Chekwube Chinagorom, who died following a caesarean section at an unregistered hospital in Durumi. The woman was brought to the Asokoro District Hospital, where she was confirmed dead. The baby was delivered alive and transferred to the hospital for further care.

An investigation by the Private Health Establishments Registration and Monitoring Committee (PHERMC) revealed that the hospital was not properly registered. At the time of inspection, only one staff member, a Junior Community Health Extension Worker, was present, and the surgery was performed by an unqualified individual named Murtala Jumma, along with an unidentified assistant. Efforts to contact Jumma were unsuccessful.

The case has been handed over to the Nigeria Police, which is working to identify those responsible for the surgery, verify their qualifications, and investigate the events leading to the death of Chinagorom.