Due to suspected medical standards violations, including a concerning occurrence in which a patient apparently had both breasts removed on November 25 without following the correct clinical protocol, the Benue State Government shuttered St. John’s Hospital in Otukpo.
Dr. Paul Ogwuche, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, verified the news on Saturday. He clarified that “not adherence to established clinical guidelines” was the reason the hospital was sealed.
He said that the ministry had been monitoring the institution following several reports of unethical behavior. On Friday, an enforcement team was sent to conduct an inspection.
Dr. Agbadu Joshua, the Director of Medical Services, Dr. Alex Iorbo, the Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association’s Anti-Quackery Committee, and the Desk Officers for Otukpo and Gboko LGAs, who were already performing regular checks in the region, oversaw the operation.
“This is part of the state government’s intensified campaign against quackery and substandard medical practice,” Ogwuche said.
“The team inspecting St. John’s Hospital Otukpo discovered that the hospital was not adhering to established treatment practices and was operating in a dangerous and unsatisfactory environment.
“The malpractices included a reported case of a patient’s two breasts being removed on November 25th without following established clinical guidelines.”
The facility was “immediately sealed,” he said, and the Medical Superintendent was given a question and told to come before the ministry on Monday for more questioning.
The commissioner reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining public safety, stating that the administration is still dedicated to advancing moral, safe, and standard-driven healthcare services throughout Benue.
In order to avoid penalties, he warned practitioners that the state “will not hesitate to take firm action against any facility found endangering patient lives.”
The state recently closed St. Peter and Paul Community Health Centre and Maternity in Lessel, Ushongo LGA, due to what officials called “serious professional misconduct,” underscoring the government’s continuous efforts to purify the health sector.
