The Coordinating Ministry of Health and Social Development, Prof. Ali Pate has assured that a decisive action will be taken to combat criminal activities in health practices.
Responding to a newspaper investigation, titled “Inside Abuja’s Kidney ‘Market’,” Pate on his X page condemned the depravity and criminality revealed in the report.
The Minister said the development revealed the depth of depravity and criminality prevalent in sections of the society.
Acknowledging the pain of victims, Pate cited the NHA (2014) sections 51-56, which prohibit such illegality, emphasising the need for stringent enforcement.
“The NHA (2014) sections 51-56 clearly prohibits the illegality uncovered by the journalists. The central issues are on the enforcement practices and evasion of such legal and regulatory guidelines by unpatriotic criminal elements.
“This is similar in so many ways to many other acts of criminality in society,” he wrote.
The minister highlighted the government’s commitment to improving regulations, as evidenced by the recent inauguration of the Tertiary Hospitals Care Standards Committee.
According to him, “there is a sound policy and legal framework that enables regulation of health practice in Nigeria, including medically necessary transplantation”.
He further noted that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, was also gearing up to enforce standards to be followed by medical professionals in Nigeria.
Pate, however, said regulation of hospitals relied on state governments, urging them to step up to ensure such facilities in their domains were properly checked.