The Anambra State Government has arrested a 47-year-old woman, Onyinyechi Charles, who allegedly transformed from an ‘Eze Nwanyi’ (female traditionalist) to a self-acclaimed surgeon.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, disclosed this while speaking with reporters on Sunday in Awka.
The commissioner said the suspect carried out surgical procedures without the required medical qualifications.
According to him, she allegedly operated an illegal traditional birth attendant facility in Umueri, Anambra East Local Government Area.
Obidike said investigations revealed that the suspect performed caesarean sections, conducted normal vaginal deliveries, and carried out other surgical procedures without authorisation.
He said the facility had also been linked to reported medical complications and fatalities.
“The arrest followed investigations launched by the Ministry of Health as part of the state’s campaign against quackery and illegal medical practice.
“The suspect admitted during interrogation that she had been carrying out caesarean sections, normal deliveries, and other surgical procedures without the required medical or surgical qualifications.
“She was previously known as ‘Eze Nwanyi’ before becoming a church minister and later presenting herself as a surgeon,” he said.
Obidike said that during an inspection of the facility, conducted alongside the Chairman of Anambra East Local Government Area, Mr. Ifeanyi Chinweze, and security personnel, officials recovered surgical instruments and other medical equipment allegedly used for the unauthorised procedures.
He added that officials also discovered what appeared to be a shrine and an altar inside the facility.
The commissioner said the facility had been confiscated pending the conclusion of legal proceedings, while the suspect would be arraigned in court.
He described the discovery as disturbing and a serious threat to public health, adding that the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo would not allow unqualified persons to endanger lives under the guise of providing healthcare.
Obidike urged residents, particularly expectant mothers, to seek medical care only from government-approved hospitals and duly registered healthcare providers.
He said the ministry would sustain surveillance and enforcement operations across the state to identify and prosecute illegal medical practitioners.
“The government remains committed to sanitising the health sector and ensuring that only licensed and qualified healthcare professionals provide medical and surgical services in Anambra.
“Anyone found violating the law will face the full weight of legal sanctions,” he said.
The Chairman of Anambra East Local Government Area, Mr. Ifeanyi Chinweze, commended the Ministry of Health and security agencies for exposing the alleged illegal medical operation.
He assured residents of the council’s continued support for efforts to eliminate quackery and other unlawful practices that endanger lives.
He also urged members of the public to report suspected illegal health facilities and patronise only accredited hospitals.
