The Benue State Government has closed down St. John’s Hospital in Otukpo over alleged violations of medical standards, including a troubling incident in which a patient reportedly had both breasts removed on November 25 without proper clinical procedure.
The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ogwuche, confirmed the development on Saturday. He explained that the facility was sealed for “not adherence to established clinical guidelines.”
According to him, the ministry had been keeping an eye on the hospital after receiving multiple complaints of unethical practices. An enforcement team was dispatched on Friday to carry out an inspection.
The operation was supervised by the Director of Medical Services, Dr. Agbadu Joshua, alongside the Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association’s Anti-Quackery Committee, Dr. Alex Iorbo, and the Desk Officers for Otukpo and Gboko LGAs, who were already conducting routine checks in the area.
Ogwuche stated, “This is part of the state government’s intensified campaign against quackery and substandard medical practice.
“During the inspection of St. John’s Hospital Otukpo, the team found the facility operating in a substandard and unsafe environment and also failing to follow approved treatment protocols.
“The malpractices included a reported case of the removal of both breasts of a patient allegedly carried out on the 25th of November without adherence to established clinical guidelines.”
He noted that the hospital was “immediately sealed,” adding that the Medical Superintendent had been issued a query and ordered to appear before the ministry on Monday for further interrogation.
The commissioner reiterated the government’s determination to ensure public safety, saying the administration remains committed to promoting ethical, secure and standard-driven healthcare services across Benue.
He cautioned that the state “will not hesitate to take firm action against any facility found endangering patient lives,” urging practitioners to uphold professional standards to avoid sanctions.
The latest closure comes not long after the state shut down St. Peter and Paul Community Health Centre and Maternity in Lessel, Ushongo LGA, over what officials described as serious professional misconduct further highlighting the government’s ongoing push to cleanse the health sector.
