In an effort to complement the Rivers State Government to fish out quack midwives and untrained nurses handling ante-natal cases in their living homes and churches, more than 37 quack and untrained midwives have been identified in their various locations in the state capital by our correspondent last week.
According to the report turned out by the correspondent to this local tabloid which he said was informed by the need to sanitize the rules of public health and safety for Nigeria as it concerns ante-natal service in Rivers State. The essence he said is to ensure that traditional and untrained midwives do not operate maternity centres in their living homes at the expenses of the public which have sent so many women to early grave.
Sharing his experience he said he visited Mango Estate in Elelenwo and discovered a midwife with some patients in a 6 feet batcher of 2 rooms who gave her name as Nurse Imabong from Akwa Ibom State.
According to Imabong “I bin don learn nursing for clinic, but as work no dey for me, na I make I come open this business for here and I don deliver more than 50 girls for this year.
Still in Elelenwo, No. 3 Chinda Street, Port Harcourt another untrained midwive known as Mama Amarachi who gave her name as Mrs. Stella Oguzui from Imo State was also discovered in Elelenwo, while at opposite Hope Baptist Church (red gate) one Mama Grace from Akwa Ibom was also discovered as untrained midwife operating without license.
In Mgbuoba No. 74, an alleged quack nurse who gave her name as Mama Blessing from Akwa Ibom opposite Champion Supermarket is said to be operating without license since 2005.
In Iwofe Road, Port Harcourt the journalist also discovered Ijeoma Maternity headed by Mrs. Nwanchukwu Perpetual Ijeoma working with 6 nurses by St. John Church, while in Elimgbu a local nurse popularly known as Mama Mercy who has a Chemist at the front of Eze Iji Weli building is also said to be operating without licence in her living home.
Extending the investigation to Bori in Khana LGA, an aged woman who gave her name as Mrs. Edith Barry at Mayor Street an untrained midwife heading a maternity owned by a church where pregnant women sleeping on the floor waiting for their time.
In a brief interview with Mrs. Edith Barry, she said “I have been in this job for more than 20 years and I don’t have license neither approval from authority and maintained that the local maternity is surviving on the order of the senior member of the church, when contacted he said “Mr. Tobin I just had a call about you, you are welcome but right now, am in Abuja when I get to Rivers State, I will give you a call” this conversation took place on Monday 9th September, 2013.###
Alapakabia Tobin
