Senate on Tuesday raised an alarm over the sale of fake medical reports by public hospitals in the country, saying the ugly trend, it described as “very dangerous,” was worrisome and must be curbed immediately.
It said it was fully aware that the Code of Ethics of the medical profession forbids illegal issuance of medical certificates and records to patients without conducting the relevant tests.
Consequently, it mandated the Federal Ministry of Health to quickly initiate an efficient measure to not just identify the culprits but to also prevent the commercialisation of medical reports.
Also, the Senate directed the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) “to intensify its effort in checking incidences of fraud and quackery in the medical profession, especially in public hospitals.”
The decision by the Senate followed a motion on the proliferation of Fake Medical Reports emanating from Public Hospitals in Nigeria moved by Uche Lilian Ekwunife, (Anambra Central).
Leading the debate, Ekwunife revealed that medical reports which ought to be issued free of charge were often obtained from some public hospitals in Nigeria at a high fee.
Read also: Achieve 100,000mw to match size of Nigerias economy, Senate tells FG
She said to worsen the situation the hospitals do not conduct proper medical tests on the report seekers before issuing them.
According to Ekwunife, the ugly trend poses grave danger to the medical health and safety of the citizenry which, she noted, result to fatal misdiagnosis of patients who relies on the medical reports.
“The dire importance of the medical report as a document which is accorded great weight and importance in the ordinary course of our day to day business, including courts of law.
“Medical reports contain individual’s personal medical records and details, which are used to ascertain a person’s medical condition, obtain health benefits, certify one’s mental state, investigate addictions, diagnose treatments, and most importantly, ascertain and form medical opinions.
“The integrity of medical reports issued by hospitals in the country are being compromised and eroded by the realisation that it may not contain the true and accurate medical details of the person named in the report,” she stated.
