Dr. Matthias Etim, a medical officer at Cottage Hospital Ukana in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, along with the hospital’s Head of Pharmacy, are set to appear before a disciplinary panel of the State Ministry of Health over alleged administrative and professional lapses.
According to reports, Dr. Etim was absent from duty while on call and later failed to respond to official queries issued in accordance with civil service rules.
Meanwhile, the Head of Pharmacy has been asked to account for his department’s inability to provide essential statutory documents, including drug stock registers, inventory records, and indebtedness logs.
The Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr Ekem John Emmanuel gave the directives during a visit to the hospital with his team including Permanent Secretary, Hospital Management Board Dr Abraham Inyangudo, Permanent Secretary Akwa Ibom Health Insurance Agency Dr Arthur Igbemi, and directors from the Ministry of Health and Hospitals Management Board.
The Commissioner revealed that the Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Ekong Etiebet had earlier briefed him on the level of professional breaches in the hospital, adding that based on the briefing and documentary evidence presented, they should appear before the Senior Staff Management Committee of the Hospitals Management Board for interrogation and appropriate disciplinary action.
He said, “This inspection visit was predicated on intelligence reports submitted by the Ministry of Health’s Ombudsman Unit- a public complaints unit set up to track and resolve complaints against health workers across the state after the declaration of a state of emergency in the health sector by Governor Umo Eno.
“We need the report of the Committee on this matter before the end of next week. ”
Speaking on the outcome of the tour, the Health Commissioner expressed concern over financial inconsistencies in the hospital, noting that Governor Umo Eno’s administration will not allow such anomaly to fester even as he ordered immediate redeployment of the pharmacist heading the unit to another government facility, pending further administrative review.
John also disclosed that by Mid-January 2026, all prices for medications, surgical services and other hospital service charges would be standardized and made uniform across all government hospitals.
“A patient should not pay ₦70,000 for a procedure in one government hospital and ₦150,000 for the same service in another. Uniform pricing will eliminate over billing and protect patients,” he said.
The Commissioner further disclosed that the Governor Eno has ordered the immediate revitalization and re-activation of the State’s Central Medical Store.
“All government hospitals would henceforth source drugs exclusively from the State Central Medical Store, bringing an end to procurement from external vendors. It will be an offence for any government hospital to purchase drugs outside the approved supply chain,” he said.
