The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has expressed appreciation to the Nigerian Police Force for apprehending an individual believed to be posing as a medical doctor.
Dr. Benjamin Olowojebutu, the Chairman of NMA Lagos, commended the arrest during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Tuesday, emphasizing that it would bolster the association’s campaign against medical quackery.
Highlighting the dangers of medical quackery, Olowojebutu stressed that this malpractice jeopardized the well-being of citizens and the quality of healthcare services in the state and the nation.
He remarked, “The arrest represents a positive development for the health sector as we continue to expose these impostors to prevent further harm and casualties in Lagos.
“Our efforts in combating quackery are making strides, and we are resolute in purging the medical profession of charlatans,” he added.
The chairman affirmed NMA Lagos’s commitment, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Health Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), and the police, to eradicate quackery from the state.
He announced plans for an upcoming anti-quackery summit followed by the submission of a white paper on anti-quackery to the Lagos State Government.
Olowojebutu cautioned hospitals against hiring individuals whose credentials have not been vetted by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to protect public health.
Earlier reports indicated that the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, arrested a 37-year-old individual pretending to be a medical practitioner with suspected forged certificates at Skylink Medical Centre, Elepe-Ikorodu on May 7.
The apprehension was based on intelligence gathered by the command from members of the Elepe community regarding the suspect’s activities.
Upon searching the facility, police discovered two suspected forged certificates from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
Subsequently, the hospital complex was sealed pending the completion of an ongoing investigation.