NMA nab fake medical doctor in Rivers
The Nigerian Medical Association in Rivers State announced the arrest of Echi Michael, who had been presenting and practising as a medical doctor in the state for more than two years.
The NMA, in a statement signed by State Secretary Dr Hope Avundaa in Port Harcourt on Saturday, said Michael, a Banking and Finance graduate from the Cross River State University of Technology, was apprehended by its anti-quackery committee.
According to Avundaa, the suspect fraudulently registered for the NMA Rivers State Identity Card using bogus documents, including a fake MBBS Certificate from the University of Port Harcourt in 2017 and a fake MDCN complete registration certificate in 2023, all of which were determined to be faked.
He further stated that Michael was detained on Friday following a period of active surveillance when he came for an interview for the position of Medical Officer at Port Harcourt Military Hospital, where he had displayed himself as a staff member during his application for the NMA ID Card.
The statement read, “The Anti-quackery Committee led by the Chairman NMA, Rivers State, Dr. Ebbi Robinson: Secretary, Dr. Hope Avundaa and VC2 Dr. Edmund Anufuro effected the arrest and detention of Mr. Echi Igbo Michael, a graduate of Banking and Finance (CRUTECH) who has been parading himself and practising for over two years in Rivers State as a medical doctor.
“Tip-off of his crime came to light after he fraudulently applied for NMA Rivers State ID Card with falsified documents which include a fake MBBS Certificate from University of Port Harcourt (2017), a fake MDCN full Registration Certificate (2023) which were found to be falsified.
“Mr. Echi Michael was apprehended today after a period of active surveillance when he appeared for an interview for the post of Medical Officer at Port Harcourt Military Hospital, a place he has paraded himself as a staff during his application for NMA ID Card.”
He added that Michael would be prosecuted, saying, “The culprit has been arrested for prosecution. We thank the authorities of the military hospital for their cooperation.”
Stakeholders in the medical profession have lamented the activities of quacks parading themselves as professionals in the health sector.
In February, some stakeholders attributed the training of auxiliary nurses by private doctors as one of the greatest factors fueling quackery in the country’s health sector.
In February, some stakeholders attributed the training of auxiliary nurses by private doctors as one of the greatest factors fueling quackery in the country’s health sector
They, however, declared that the menace of quackery cannot be contained if such practise is not checked while calling on the government at all levels to take the necessary actions to end the menace.