By Akinwale Kasali
The Ogun State Government is not leaving any stone unturned in making sure that owners of illegal and fake Clinics and Medical Facilities are prosecuted.
The Governor Government has however began the prosecution of owners of these fake medical facilities in the State for various infractions.
Tomi Coker, Commissioner for Health in the State disclosed that the Government had, a few weeks ago, sealed some health facilities in the Ewekoro Local Government Area of the state for falling short of set standards.
In a statement, Coker said that the Government would leave no stone unturned in combating quackery in the state.
The Commissioner further explained that the monitoring team of the Ministry of Health barely a week after the sanction discovered that the Proprietor of Deevhine Clinic and Maternity Home, located in the Papalanto axis of Ewekoro, had broken the government seal and resumed operations.
It added that the maternity home was not duly registered and it 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.
Speaking further, Coker said that the case is being handled by the Department of Public Prosecution of the Ogun State Ministry of Justice, adding that monitoring of private medical facilities would be scaled up in the new year to unearth fake practitioners and facilities that are operating without government approval or below the set standard.
“This administration had so far endeavoured 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 Ogun State,” she said.
The Commissioner added that the Government would no longer tolerate the illegal activities of medical quackery in the state, expressing her optimism that the prosecution of those found wanting would serve as a deterrent to others.
She advised that anyone intending to operate a health facility should go through the standard procedures of the state Government.
