Enugu uncovers illegal hospital, arrests fake doctor

The Enugu State Ministry of Health has apprehended an impostor posing as a doctor and has shut down an unauthorized hospital in Obollo-Etiti, located in the Udenu Local Government Area, for operating without a valid license and jeopardizing the lives of patients.

In a statement released on Sunday and signed by the Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Ugodu Avemaria, it was noted that the Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu, oversaw the operation, which revealed alarming evidence regarding the facility's unsanitary and unsuitable conditions.

The statement identified the fraudulent doctor as Mr. Kenneth Mamah and his establishment as St. Joseph Memorial Hospital, situated in the Ada-ulo Obollo-Etiti Community.

"The enforcement team, responding to credible intelligence and complaints from concerned residents, raided the facility recently, where they found that the owner had been performing surgical procedures in his consulting room and engaging in other medical practices in an environment grossly unfit for any form of operative care.

"The self-styled doctor lacked a medical license, any professional training, and authorization from the state ministry of health," Avemaria stated. "Despite this, he regularly conducted surgical operations, putting at risk the lives of residents who unwittingly sought his care."

According to the statement, the community residents were astonished to learn the true identity of the fake doctor, who had misrepresented himself as a qualified medical professional for several years.

The statement quoted Dr. Amaechi Mgbodile, Director of Medical Services, as saying during the operation that "the closure is in line with the state government’s wider initiative to eradicate quackery, ensure patient safety, and uphold minimum standards across all health facilities."

Mgbodile stressed that no facility is allowed to perform surgery without "appropriate registration, qualified medical staff, sterile instruments, and an approved surgical environment."

The impostor doctor has been referred to security agencies for investigation and potential prosecution, in line with Governor Mba’s strict zero-tolerance stance on quackery, the statement concluded.

In the meantime, the Chairman of Udenu Local Government Area, Aka Eze Aka, reassured the public that he would persist in enhancing surveillance throughout the council to identify unlicensed practitioners who may be operating in rural areas.