The Coordinating Ministry of Health and Social Development, Prof. Ali Pate has assured Nigerians that decisive action will be taken to combat criminal activities in health practices.

This is in reaction to a DailyTrust report, titled “Inside Abuja’s Kidney ‘Market’” which exposed a shadow economy of illegal kidney trade in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory.

According to the report, “One million naira is the ‘official’ price for a kidney in the black-market. This investigation uncovered a cell of kidney agents that have been planted in satellite communities to target and lure young men from low economic backgrounds to sell their kidneys.”

Pate reacted to the report via his X account. The Minister said the development revealed the depth of depravity and criminality prevalent in sections of the society.

He wrote: “The NHA (2014) sections 51-56 clearly prohibits the illegality uncovered by the journalists. The central issues are on the enforcement practices and evasion of such legal and regulatory guidelines by unpatriotic criminal elements. 

“This is similar in so many ways to many other acts of criminality in society.”  

The minister highlighted the government’s commitment to improving regulations, as evidenced by the recent inauguration of the Tertiary Hospitals Care Standards Committee. 

According to him, “there is a sound policy and legal framework that enables regulation of health practice in Nigeria, including medically necessary transplantation”. 

He further noted that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, was also gearing up to enforce standards to be followed by medical professionals in Nigeria. 

Pate, however, said regulation of hospitals relied on state governments, urging them to step up to ensure such facilities in their domains were properly checked.