By Abasi Ita
The Cross River State Task Force on Health Quality and Anti Quackery has sealed an illegal private health facility, Safe Hand’s Maternity Clinic, in Calabar Municipality following allegations of unprofessional practices linked to the death of a patient after surgery.
The facility, located at No. 21 Ikot Eka Edem (Iyata Street), was shut down after the committee received a petition alleging that a patient died following an operation carried out at the clinic.
Acting on the petition, the task force, led by its Chairman, Dr. Dan Abubakar, conducted an unscheduled inspection of the facility and uncovered numerous violations of healthcare regulations and professional standards.
Findings revealed that the clinic, operated by one Mrs. Inyang Ekeng, a Community Health Extension Officer, was functioning from a three bedroom apartment converted into a six bed maternity ward without any licensed nurses.
The inspection further revealed that surgical procedures were being carried out by Dr. Sunday Abeng, said to be a Registrar at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, in what officials described as a poorly equipped and substandard environment.
According to the committee, the clinic was operating beyond its approved scope of practice and had also admitted an abandoned stroke patient, a case considered outside its capacity and mandate.
The task force identified several other infractions, including the absence of operational licences, inadequate office and consulting rooms, poor ventilation, lack of staff records and patient registers, absence of proper patient documentation, failure to maintain theatre records of surgical procedures, unhygienic conditions, poor waste disposal systems, and the engagement of unqualified personnel.
Speaking after the inspection, Dr. Abubakar expressed concern over the state of the facility, describing it as a potential death trap and a serious threat to public health.
He said the conditions observed at the clinic were unacceptable and posed grave dangers to unsuspecting residents seeking medical care.
Dr. Abubakar stressed that the state government, in line with the healthcare development agenda of Governor Bassey Otu, would not allow illegal and substandard health facilities to continue operating.
He noted that the government is investing heavily in the renovation and construction of modern healthcare centres across the state and urged residents to seek treatment only at approved and accredited medical facilities.
“The Governor is currently upgrading and building well equipped health centres across the state. Residents should take advantage of these facilities instead of risking their lives in the hands of unqualified operators,” he said.
He further warned that patronising unaccredited clinics could have fatal consequences because of the poor sanitary and professional standards under which many operate.
The facility was subsequently sealed, while its owner and the attending doctor were given time to evacuate all admitted patients.
The action, according to the committee, underscores the Cross River State Government’s commitment to safeguarding public health and ensuring the delivery of quality healthcare services through the enforcement of professional standards across the state’s health sector.