NMA reacts to arrest of alleged fake doctor in Lagos

By Oluwafunke Ishola

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has commended the Nigerian Police Force for arresting an alleged fake medical doctor, saying it would strengthen its fight against quackery in the medical profession.

Dr Benjamin Olowojebutu, Chairman, NMA Lagos, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.

Olowojebutu noted that medical quackery was a dangerous practice that posed a threat to the wellbeing of citizens and delivery of quality healthcare in the state, and country.

“The arrest is a welcome development to the health sector; we would expose these quacks and ensure that Lagos does not suffer further morbidity and mortality from their nefarious activities.

“We are glad that our work on anti-quackery has started yielding progress as we are determined to weed out quacks from the medical profession,” he said.

The chairman pledged that NMA Lagos, with support of the Ministry of Health, Health Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), and the Police, would eradicate quacks from the state.

He said that the association would hold an Anti-Quackery Summit soon, after which it would present a white paper to the Lagos State Government on anti-quackery.

Olowojebutu warned hospitals to refrain from employing staff whose certificates and licenses had not been verified by the MDCN toward safeguarding the health of the populace.

NAN reports that the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, on May 7, announced its arrest of a 37-year-old medical practitioner, with suspected forged certificates at Skylink Medical Centre, Elepe-Ikorodu.

The police said it arrested the suspect who claimed to be the Managing Director of the health facility based on intelligence gathered by the command through members of the Elepe community concerning the activities of the suspect.

It said it recovered two suspected forged certificates of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State and Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) after conducting a search of the facility.

It further revealed that the hospital complex had been sealed, pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation. (NAN)www.nannews.ng

Edited by Vivian Ihechu