From: Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
The Ondo State Government, on Tuesday, ordered the immediate closure of an illegal hospital, reportedly being operated by a quack doctor, Mr. Adewale Owolanke in Uso, a community in Owo Local Government Area of the state.
The hospital was discovered during a monitoring exercise carried out
by the state Ministry of Health.
A director in the ministry, Dr. Olayinka Akinsete, who led the team, said
the team acted on a report the ministry received on the illegal
operation being carried out in the hospital, saying the allegation
was found to be true after series of investigations.
His words, “there was a report with high fatality and when we got
there, the place was initially locked, because they had awareness of
our presence but was eventually opened later.
“We saw all the instruments the fake doctor was using. We saw cases
such as evacuation, surgeries, cesarean session yet he denied all.
“It is now obvious that the man is a quack and he has been practicing
quackery, injuring people because he could not show us any certificate
to prove that he is a doctor.
“As it is now, we have closed down the place and other things will
follow,” he added.
He stated that the case would be investigated further as some
qualified and certified medical doctors were linked with the man.
Chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Gbelela Dolani, who was part of the team that inspected the hospital, said it was unfortunate that a lot of atrocities were found in the profession and that it was getting clearer that those termed ‘quacks’ were having cover from qualified and certified doctors.
According to him, “NMA is interfacing with the monitoring unit of the ministry and government, praying that government will listen to its yearning and advice.
“We pray that government will listen to us and assist us because NMA
can do little. But it is the government’s responsibility to ensure
that people have access to qualitative health care services and when we shout, they should listen because there are lot of atrocities in the system.
“Even within the so-called government hospitals, a lot of things need to be corrected in the interest of the citizenry and the society at large,” he stated.
Responding to questions directed to him, the alleged quack doctor,
said he was trained in America Barbados University and came back to
University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin-City where he said he is
currently doing his clinical.
Owolanke confessed that he carried out surgery without license to
practise, but said that he had closed down the surgery theatre in his
hospital.
According to him, one certified medical doctor was
covering for his( Owolanke) medical services.