FCT Minister Orders Action Against Unlicensed Hospitals Following Tragic Death of Pregnant woman
The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has directed a sweeping enforcement campaign targeting unregistered hospitals and unqualified healthcare workers operating in the region.
This directive was disclosed in a statement released on Saturday by Lere Olayinka, the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media. According to the statement, Wike emphasized that anyone found running or working in a health facility that lacks proper registration will face arrest and prosecution.
The Minister’s decision follows the heartbreaking death of 35-year-old Chekwube Chinagorom, who passed away after undergoing a caesarean section at Afolmi Hospital, an unregistered private clinic located in Durumi, Abuja.
The statement lamented the tragedy, noting that despite the availability of free healthcare services under the Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS), many residents still turn to unsafe and unauthorized medical centers. Pregnant women and other vulnerable groups are eligible for free enrollment in the FHIS, granting them access to essential healthcare through primary health centers.
Olayinka highlighted that several general hospitals in areas such as Gwarinpa, Nyanya, Abaji, and Kuje have been equipped to provide comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal services, including free cesarean procedures.
He urged expectant mothers to take advantage of these services rather than risking their lives with unqualified practitioners.
According to the report, Chinagorom was brought in dead to the Asokoro District Hospital following the procedure at Afolmi Hospital. Although she did not survive, her baby was safely delivered and transferred to Asokoro Hospital for treatment.
An inquiry conducted by the Private Health Establishments Registration and Monitoring Committee (PHERMC) confirmed that Afolmi Hospital was not properly registered. Only one staff member, Simon Elisha Godiya—a Junior Community Health Extension Worker—was found on duty during the inspection.
Godiya disclosed that the operation had been performed by a certain Murtala Jumma along with another unidentified person. Efforts to contact Jumma have so far been unsuccessful.
Soon after the PHERMC inspection, officers from the Nigeria Police’s Durumi Division arrived at the facility, and the case was handed over to them for investigation. The police are now working to identify those involved in the surgery, confirm their credentials, and uncover the circumstances surrounding Chinagorom’s death.
