‘Quackery Affecting Nursing Profession in Nigeria’

National President of the Association of General Private Nursing Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPNPN), Prince Balogun Ajiboye, says quackery is one of the factors affecting the nursing profession in Nigeria.

Making reference to the death of music star, Ilerioulwa Aloba, aks Mohbad, he said quacks have brought the profession to ridicule.

While addressing newsmen on the outcome of investigation on the singer’s death, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, had said findings showed that the auxiliary nurse who administered  injections on Mohbad was the prime suspect of his death.

He had said the injections triggered vomiting, goose bumps and convulsions that eventually resulted in the singer’s death.

Speaking in Kaduna during the 13th Annual National Scientific Conference of the association, the National President of the association, said the body has been warning its members about the dangers of training quacks.

“Therefore, I am using this opportunity to appeal to all agencies involved in the eradication of quackery to double their efforts in stamping out the menace,” he said.

The national president also mentioned that the current statistics in the country show that over 70 percent of Nigerians access healthcare through private facilities, meaning less than 30 percent access healthcare through public facilities.

“Worst hit are the poor citizens who are always coming to private facilities to ask for favour. We are always trying our best because, with the present economic reality of fuel subsidy removal and deregulation of the currency, you can imagine how the poor citizens are passing through,” he said.

He said if nothing is done urgently, universal health coverage in Nigeria will be a mirage.

Speaking on the theme, “Nursing and Healthcare Space: Strengthening the Relationship to Improve Public Health,” the guest speaker, Professor Saleh Ngaski, called for collaboration among health professionals in the healthcare space across the country.