Borno NMA moves against quacks, inaugurates committee

The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Borno State chapter, has inaugurated a committee to clamp down on quacks parading as medical doctors in the state.

Chairman of the chapter, Dr Kaka Ghazali, made the disclosure on Monday while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri.

According to Ghazali, the move is part of efforts to enforce professionalism, guarantee patient safety and ensure that only duly qualified and licensed personnel attend to patients.

“The committee will collaborate with the Directorate of Medical Services and other stakeholders to track and stamp out unwholesome practices within the profession”, he explained.

He added that the Directorate maintains a working relationship with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, the body saddled with regulating medical and dental practice in the country.

“Any suspected case of quackery uncovered would be escalated to the relevant authorities for proper investigation and sanctions in accordance with the law”, the NMA chairman said.

While decrying the dangers posed by unqualified practitioners, Ghazali said quackery not only endangers lives but also erodes public trust in the health system.

He called for collective action by professional bodies, regulators and government to curb the trend, reaffirming the association’s resolve to protect public health and raise the standard of healthcare delivery in the state.