Anambra govt confirms arrest of 2 fake doctors, shuts down hospitals

The Anambra State government on Saturday confirmed the arrest of two fake medical doctors in the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, confirmed the development to journalists at a media briefing in Awka.

He added that security operatives and members of the Anambra Joint Enforcement Team (ANJET) raided health facilities at Alor in Idemili South local government area of the state and Adazi-Enu in Anaocha LGA on Friday night and arrested the suspects.

He identified the suspects as Anayo Okwara, owner of Bright Land Hospital and Maternity Limited in Alor, and Igwe Ogbonna, founder of Favour of God Hospital and Maternity, Adazi-Enu.

The suspects, according to the commissioner, were operating the hospitals illegally in the state.

He said: “Following investigation, it was discovered that Ogbonna is not even a medical doctor and does not have any medical knowledge.

“He also used his hospital as a nursing school where students pay as much as N70,000 to N100,000 to study nursing. Some of the student nurses we met at the facility confirmed this.

“On Okwara, the second suspect, the President-General of Alor community, Chief Emmanuel Ojukwu, wrote to the ministry and complained about incessant deaths recorded at Bright Land Hospital.

“Okwara first claimed that he was a homeopathic doctor, but later admitted that his medical certificates and license were forged when he was being questioned.”

READ ALSO: Anambra govt vows to stamp out ‘agberos’

Obidike revealed that five illegal health facilities had been shut down by the state government.

He added: “It is unfortunate that death is an irreversible course and I do not understand why people who are not medical practitioners will continue to waste people’s lives because of greed and quest to make money through illegal means.

“We are sending out this warning to those operating illegally and parading themselves as medical doctors to close down their hospitals or face the full wrath of the law.

“Anambra is not a place for quacks to practice.”

The commissioner thanked the community leaders and vigilante groups for the tip-off and urged residents to be vigilant and report such illegality in their areas.

He also commended Governor Charles Soludo for giving them the necessary support to execute the raid.

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