By Asma’u Ahmad
The Cross River State Private Hospital Regulatory Board has shut down 14 health facilities in the state for medical quackery and substandard operations.
The Chairman of the Board, Dr Norbert Mogar, who disclosed this to newsmen in Calabar, said the facilities were shut down between 2017 and 2019.
Gov. Ben Ayade
Dr Mogar listed some of the facilities shut down to include, Destiny Medical Consult in Calabar, Holy Trinity Clinic and Maternity in Bekwarra Local Government and Divine Favour Clinic and Maternity in Ugaga in Yala.
According to him, the intensified surveillance was carried out with a view to curbing the rate of medical quackery in the state, especially in the remote areas.
He said action had prevented the reckless and unwarranted loss of lives and morbidities at varying degree through anti-quackery crusade.
“The private hospital regulatory board was inaugurated in 2007 and it has shut down no fewer than 14 health facilities for medical quackery and substandard operations from 2017 to date,” Mogar said.
While highlighting the achievements of the board in three years, Mogar said it carried out a mapping of all private facilities across the state for easy evaluation.
He said that the board also developed a regulatory framework for the monitoring and regulating of private facilities in the state.
The Board also recovered some facilities that were operating illegally without government license while such facilities are now registered and paying taxes and other levies to the government.
According to him, the board also established a strong bond with stakeholders in the state health sector and security agencies for effective and efficient enforcement of the regulations.
