The Enugu State Ministry of Health has arrested a fake doctor and sealed an illegal hospital in Obollo-Etiti in Udenu Local Government Area for operating without a licence and putting patients’ lives at risk.
The ministry, in a statement made available to PUNCH Metro on Sunday, signed by the Public Relations Officer, Mrs Ugodu Avemaria, stated that the Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu, coordinated the operation, which uncovered shocking evidence of the facility’s unhygienic and unfit conditions.
The statement identified the fake doctor as Mr Kenneth Mamah and his hospital, named St. Joseph Memorial Hospital, Ada-ulo Obollo-Etiti Community.
“The enforcement team, acting on credible intelligence and complaints from concerned residents, stormed the facility recently, where they discovered that the owner has been conducting surgical procedures in his consulting room and other medical practices in an environment grossly unfit for any form of operative care.
“The self-proclaimed doctor had no medical licence, no professional training, and no authorisation from the state ministry of health,” Avemaria said. “Despite this, he routinely performed surgical operations, endangering the lives of residents who unsuspectingly sought care.”
According to the statement, residents of the community were shocked to discover the fake doctor’s true identity, having portrayed himself as a trained medical professional for years.
The statement quoted Director of Medical Services, Dr Amaechi Mgbodile, as saying during the operation that “the closure aligns with the state government’s broader campaign to eliminate quackery, ensure patient safety, and enforce minimum standards across all health facilities.”
Dr Mgbodile emphasised that no facility is permitted to conduct surgery without “proper registration, qualified health personnel, sterile equipment and approved theatre environment.”
The fake doctor has been handed over to security agencies for investigation and possible prosecution, as part of Governor Mba’s zero-tolerance policy on quackery, the statement concluded.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Udenu Local Government Area, Aka Eze Aka, assured the public that he would continue to intensify surveillance across the council to fish out unlicensed practitioners who are hiding in rural communities.
Credit: Punch