The Association of Health Records and Information Management Practitioners of Nigeria Rivers State branch has said that the profession is being infiltrated by quacks.
The group said over “ninety eight per cent” of untrained and unlicensed practitioners perform “statutory functions” of the profession in public and private health sectors contrary to the law setting up Health Records profession.
In a statement, the Chairman of the Association, Ada Gaius, said that the practice was contrary to Section (12(1) of Health Records Officers Registration Board of Nigeria Act, cap166 LFN 1990 and the Federal Ministry of Health Circular dated 14 September, 2015 with reference number C3689/11/10.
The chairman of the association appealed to the state government and Ministry of Health to end the quackery and protect identity of the profession by stopping public and private health practitioners and partners from using untrained and unlicensed practitioners.
He said that untrained and unlicensed practitioners lack professional ethical knowledge and skills to handle patient records adding they cannot collate, analyze and interpret health data and transmit to the ministry of health and its parastatals.
The state chairperson said: “Health Records professionals in the state are appealing to the Rivers State Ministry of Health and His Excellency, Chief Barrister Nyesom Wike to end quackery in medical records practice and protect the identity of qualified health information management professionals and prevent private health facility owners, health partners and heads of public hospital from engaging these impostors”.
Ada said engaging quacks could cripple the effort of the government in terms of planning, budgeting, research, informed decision-making and implementation of policies including law relating to quality healthcare service delivery in the state.
He said that it was necessary to have best practices and professionalism in all areas of health sector and get quality health data for healthcare service delivery.
The chairperson said quacks were fraudulent and would give away patient’s health records to third party.
He also said they promote “questionable” ideas and render services without regard to conventional practice.
