Ogun State Government has commenced the prosecution of the owner of an illegal medical facility, Deevhine Clinic and Maternity Home, located in papalanto axis of Ewekoro, for various infractions.
It would be recalled that the government had a few weeks ago sealed some health facilities in Ewekoro Local Government area for falling short of the set standards.
However, the monitoring team of the Ministry of Health barely a week after the sanction discovered that the Proprietor of Deevhine Clinic and Maternity Home, had broken the government seal and resumed operations.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker said the maternity home was not duly registered and lacked qualified medical personnel, noting that the audacious move of the Proprietor to remove the government seal and resume operation forced the Ministry to initiate legal actions against her.
Coker added that the case was being handled by the Department of Public Prosecution, (DPP) of the Ogun State Ministry of Justice, pointing out that monitoring of private medical facilities would be scaled up in the new year to unearth fake practitioners and facilities that were operating without government approval or below the set standard.
The Commissioner added that the present administration would no longer tolerate illegal activities of medical quackery in the State, expressing optimism that the prosecution of those found wanting would serve as a deterrent to others.
“This administration had so far endeavored to be alive to its responsibility of making quality health care accessible to every resident of the State. Although we consider the various categories of private practitioners as our partners in this regard, the onus is on us to regulate their operations. This is to prevent the loss of lives from the operations of quacks.
“Henceforth, the State will monitor owners of private health facilities and ensure they follow the global best health care standard. They must obtain necessary approval before they can operate in the State,” she said.
She urged anyone intending to operate a health facility to go through the standard procedures of the State government.