The Enugu State Government has sealed four private hospitals operating illegally in Enugu South Local Government Area over unsafe medical practices and failure to comply with healthcare regulations.
The enforcement exercise was carried out on Tuesday by officials of the state Ministry of Health during an inspection led by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu.
The inspection team included directors of the ministry and was also led by the Director of Medical Services, Dr Chinyere Ezeudu.
Speaking during the exercise in Enugu, Ugwu reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Peter Mbah’s administration to protecting residents through effective regulation, quality assurance and regular monitoring of healthcare facilities.
He warned that the government would not tolerate illegal medical operations, professional misconduct or any activities capable of endangering patients’ lives.
The commissioner urged private healthcare operators across the state to ensure that their facilities were duly registered and licensed and that they operated only within the scope of services approved by the relevant authorities.
“The ministry will sustain its monitoring and enforcement exercises to ensure that only qualified and authorised healthcare providers deliver services to the people of Enugu State,” he said.
During the exercise, the officials inspected about 12 private healthcare facilities to assess their operational standards, verify their registration status and determine their compliance with established healthcare regulations and professional guidelines.
Reacting to the findings, Ezeudu described the situation as unacceptable, expressing concern over what she called a flagrant disregard for healthcare regulations and professional standards.
She disclosed that four of the inspected facilities had been sealed and ordered to suspend operations immediately.
According to her, the enforcement action was necessary to protect residents from unqualified medical practitioners, substandard healthcare services and other practices that could endanger human lives.
The ministry reiterated its commitment to sustained inspections and enforcement measures to ensure that healthcare facilities across the state operate within the law and meet the required professional standards.