The Cross River State Task Force on Health Quality and Anti-Quackery has sealed a private maternity facility, Safe Hands Maternity Clinic, in Calabar Municipality following allegations that a patient died after undergoing surgery at the centre.
The enforcement team, led by the Chairman of the Task Force, Dr. Dan Abubakar, conducted an unscheduled inspection of the facility located at No. 21 Iyata Street after receiving a petition linking the patient’s death to a surgical procedure reportedly carried out at the clinic.
During the inspection, investigators discovered that the facility, owned by Community Health Extension Officer Mrs. Inyang Ekeng, was operating from a three-bedroom apartment converted into a six-bed maternity ward without licensed nurses.
The task force also alleged that surgical operations were being performed at the facility by Dr. Sunday Abeng, a Registrar at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), despite what officials described as inadequate equipment and substandard conditions.
According to the committee, the clinic was operating beyond its approved scope of practice, including the admission and management of an abandoned stroke patient.
Several other infractions were identified, including the absence of an operational licence, lack of proper consulting rooms and office space for medical personnel, poor ventilation, inadequate record-keeping, absence of theatre documentation, poor sanitation, improper waste disposal, and the engagement of unqualified staff.
Following the findings, the facility was immediately sealed, while the management and staff were directed to evacuate all patients receiving treatment at the centre.
Reacting to the development, Dr. Abubakar described the clinic as a “potential death trap” that posed a serious risk to public health.
He stressed that the state government would not tolerate illegal or substandard healthcare practices, noting that the administration of Governor Bassey Otu is investing heavily in modern health infrastructure across the state.
“The Governor is currently renovating and constructing modern, well-equipped health centres across Cross River. Residents are encouraged to seek medical care at approved facilities rather than risk their lives in the hands of quack operators,” he said.
He further warned members of the public against patronising unaccredited healthcare centres, describing such actions as dangerous and potentially life-threatening.
Credit: Guardian Nigeria
