CALABAR– The Cross River State Government has part of its sanitising efforts of the health sector have issued a two weeks ultimatum to quacks in the industry to vacate the sector or face the consequence.
The state government gave the notice to all owners of unregistered health facilities including laboratories, as their operations will come under professional supervision and strict scrutiny by the special taskforce set up by the government.
This was made known by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu on behalf of the State Governor, His Excellency, Senator Prof Ben Ayade on Friday during the formal unveiling of the Cross River State Public and Private Health Facilities Inspection Taskforce at the General Hospital, Calabar.
Dr. Edu revealed that the Governor wants the best care for the inhabitants and visitors in the State.
According to her, the Governor beliefs that a responsible healthcare industry is necessary to support the current industrialization drive by Government and help attain Universal health coverage as every household deserve quality and affordable healthcare.
She noted that so many professionals are operating unregistered facilities like hospitals, pharmacies, drug chemist, maternity homes, mortuaries, laboratories and physiotherapy homes with questionable status with no evidence of business practice permit and professional registration licenses.
Edu call on all the media houses both print and electronic to join the drive by developing protocols for the vetting of individuals and their claims to avoid usage of the media channels to peddle their falsehood and quackery activities.
The State Chapter Chairman of NMA, Dr Innocent Abang disclosed that issues of quackery has been a major concern for NMA as a lot of fake and unapproved medical outreaches are carried out across the state especially in the rural areas leading to many deaths and morbidity.
He called on the State house of Assembly to have a legislation against quackery and fake medical outreaches across our communities.
He went further to charged the Inspection Taskforce to live up to expectation by ensuring adequate search is carried out to clamp down on this said facilities, their quackery activities and every other things hindering healthcare delivery in Cross River State.
Speaking earlier, a one time Commissioner for Health in Cross River State, Dr Joseph Ana said when it comes to healthcare matters in the country Cross River use to take the lead until, some persons let things go down in the health sector.
He said that the unveiling of the special taskforce inspection team by the State Government is a right move in a right direction and time considering the urgency to Strengthen clinical governance in the State.
The State Chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Medical Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Ben Ukpebi disclosed that for over four weeks he has been going round to sensitize his colleagues to be wary of fake medical outreaches and dissociate from partaking in it.
He said it is a welcome development to move against quackery in Cross River State while calling for Anti- quackery bill to be develop and forwarded to the State House of Assembly.
On his part the Coordinator of the Special Inspection Taskforce, Dr David Edem Ushie assured the health stakeholders that the enlarged team will carry out their assignment judiciously and in fairness to all. The team vowed to support the state to end quackery and sharp practices in the health sector. According to him in two weeks time health Facilities who fail to review their operational status will seize to operate in the State.
Dr Ushie stated that road side one drug cures all sellers will henceforth not be tolerated in Cross River State this is not witch hunt but service to our people .
