Unethical Medical Exercise: Police Nabs Doctor

In effort to safeguard the standard of medical practice in the State and make the healthcare delivery system safe for its citizenry, the State Government has expressed its determination to rid the system of quackery and charlatans.
Accordingly, this was made real when the Ministry of Health ordered the arrest of one Dr. Mboso Francis for embarking on a medical exercise without approval and supervision by the Ministry of Health.
Explaining the reason for the arrest, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Nestor Udoh said that on several occasions the Ministry had enjoined individuals or groups wishing to embark on any medical services to obtain clearance from the Ministry, adding that the notice seemed to have fallen on deaf ears, as people embark on such exercises without any recourse to the Ministry.
Dr. Mboso Francis who was arrested at the City of Truth Int’l Secondary School, Afaha Ikot Ebak in Essien Udim Local Government Area, claimed to be working in collaboration with the Christian Association of Nigeria to offer subsidized medical services, though without approval and supervision from the Ministry.
The Ministry of Health has therefore restated its resolve to deploy every resource at its disposal and every instrument of law to wage a full-scale war against such activities which the Ministry views as dangerous to public safety.
In his remarks, the doctor who hails from Onna Local Government Area said he was ignorant of the directive by the Ministry of Health, stating that his foundation, Mac-Frank Life Care Foundation Incorporated was set up to address the suffering of the people.
Over 50 persons had already undergone surgical operation while others were treated for various medical ailments before the arrest, but the unhealthy condition in which such services were rendered and the untrained health personnel involved in the programme left questions as to whether the doctor took the hallowed Physicians Oath at all.
Commenting on the development, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Essien Udim, Mr. Effiong Dom, expressed disappointment at the conduct of the medical practitioner, maintaining that the doctor should have sought clearance from the Ministry of Health and notified the police of the programme to protect the villagers who turned up for the exercise.
Meanwhile, patients who underwent surgical operations were however transferred to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital by the ministry of Health for proper management.
The Ministry of Health therefore wishes for the umpteenth time to inform all concerned with the desire to render free healthcare services for the people of Akwa Ibom State to:
- Seek and obtain clearance from the Ministry three weeks before embarking on the exercise.
- Submit the disposition of health personnel to be engaged in the exercise along with their professional credentials to the Ministry.
- Submit the current practicing licenses of such officers where applicable.
- Must render such services in government health facilities or other facilities approved by the Ministry and also submit report of the outcome of such activity and health statistics within a month after the outing.