The Ogun State Government has sealed off an illegal morgue facility at Church Street, Orudu Road, Gbogbolowo Bus Stop, in Ifo Local Government Area of the state.
The government said the activities of the facilities posed serious health hazard to the community and its environs, according to a statement on Thursday by the state’s Ministry of Health.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Daisi Odeniyi, while sealing off the morgue alongside security operatives, said the step was to deter other members of the public, engaging in such act, to desist from such illegality.
He urged those interested in such venture to follow due process by registering private hospitals, maternity homes, laboratory centres and other health facilities with the Ministry of Health.
Odeniyi said three corpses were evacuated from the morgue, adding that the structure housing the corpses did not have building plan approval and would be served demolition notice by the relevant government agency.
The Permanent Secretary, who was represented by Dr. Solomon Sokunbi, said the three bodies recovered from the morgue would be deposited at the state-owned mortuary facility, explaining that the corpses would be released to families after proper identification and documentation.
“Ogun State has zero tolerance for quackery and would not condone the operation of any illegal health facility in and around the state. Anyone caught engaging in such illegality would be arrested and prosecuted,” he added.
The Area Coordinator of the Community, Mr Funso Williams, confirmed that the morgue had been sealed thrice by the officials of the Ministry of Health, alleging that the operator of the morgue, Mr. Martins Ikharo, usually broke Government Seal on the facility.
He called on the government to find a lasting solution to the problem, saying such illegal facility could cause serious health hazard to residents of the community as there were schools, churches, hotels and buildings around the morgue.
A Senior Pastor, Celestial Church of Christ, Oluwaseyi Parish, Adiyan, Mr. Falola Olabode, said the morgue had negative effect on the socio-economic activities of the community, emphasising that chemicals used in preserving the dead bodies could affect the health of the people.
The government said the activities of the facilities posed serious health hazard to the community and its environs, according to a statement on Thursday by the state’s Ministry of Health.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Daisi Odeniyi, while sealing off the morgue alongside security operatives, said the step was to deter other members of the public, engaging in such act, to desist from such illegality.
He urged those interested in such venture to follow due process by registering private hospitals, maternity homes, laboratory centres and other health facilities with the Ministry of Health.
Odeniyi said three corpses were evacuated from the morgue, adding that the structure housing the corpses did not have building plan approval and would be served demolition notice by the relevant government agency.
The Permanent Secretary, who was represented by Dr. Solomon Sokunbi, said the three bodies recovered from the morgue would be deposited at the state-owned mortuary facility, explaining that the corpses would be released to families after proper identification and documentation.
“Ogun State has zero tolerance for quackery and would not condone the operation of any illegal health facility in and around the state. Anyone caught engaging in such illegality would be arrested and prosecuted,” he added.
The Area Coordinator of the Community, Mr Funso Williams, confirmed that the morgue had been sealed thrice by the officials of the Ministry of Health, alleging that the operator of the morgue, Mr. Martins Ikharo, usually broke Government Seal on the facility.
He called on the government to find a lasting solution to the problem, saying such illegal facility could cause serious health hazard to residents of the community as there were schools, churches, hotels and buildings around the morgue.
A Senior Pastor, Celestial Church of Christ, Oluwaseyi Parish, Adiyan, Mr. Falola Olabode, said the morgue had negative effect on the socio-economic activities of the community, emphasising that chemicals used in preserving the dead bodies could affect the health of the people.
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