The Akwa Ibom State Government has announced plans to shut down substandard health facilities.
The Commissioner of Health, Dr Ekem John, disclosed this during the ARISE Health Sector town hall meeting in Uyo, on Saturday.
He said the decision aimed at ensuring that healthcare services were delivered by trained professionals, thereby safeguarding the health and well-being of citizens. 
He disclosed that Governor Umo Eno directed his ministry to strictly enforce regulations to rid the health sector of illegalities posing a danger to public health.
He said, “Today in Akwa Ibom State, there is so much medical quackery that even tailors now pass themselves off as medical doctors.
“The governor has directed that the ministry should come up with a revised guideline and all private hospitals in Akwa Ibom must be re-registered.
“Immediately we publish the guideline, we will give everybody a period.”
The commissioner noted that joint task force teams had been inaugurated to combat fake and counterfeit drugs, monitor private health facilities, and quacks operating in the health sector.
He stated that as part of the reforms in the health sector, the state would soon commence the re-registration of all private hospitals and laboratories.
He also announced that the state would launch two new oxygen plants at the general hospital, Ukpum Abak and Emmanuel General Hospital, Eket, which will replace the industrial oxygen plant.
