Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed, has revealed that the FCT administration shut down 82 substandard medical outfits within the nation’s capital city in Year 2012.
Giving the hint during the review of activities of the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat in Abuja, he however added that some of the outfits have been reopened after the conditions for which they were closed down were met and fines had been paid.
According to Mohammed, 12 non-medical quacks were apprehended and handed over to the Police at various Police Stations in Bwari, Jikwoyi, Garki, Federal Secretariat and the FCT Police Command for prosecution. Three of such cases, he revealed, have already been charged to Karu Magistrate Court for prosecution to serve as deterrent to others.
While lamenting that the activities of medical quacks have been rising due to the ever-increasing influx of people into the Federal Capital Territory, he assured that his administration is on top of the situation.
The minister also revealed that his administration has empowered the Health and Human Services Secretariat to deal with such ugly situations through activities of the Private Health Establishments Registration and Monitoring Committee (PHERMC).
He further assured that his administration would not relent in fighting quackery in the Federal Capital Territory, as their activities portend serious negative consequences for residents.
To this extent, he urged the general public to be cautious of such outfits and enjoined FCT residents to, as a matter of urgency, raise alarm when such outfits are suspected to be operating.
