09/01/2026
A True Field Experience: When Quackery and Interference Threaten Community Healthcare
On my first day of duty as a posted Community Health Officer, I encountered a situation that clearly exposes a hidden but serious problem within some health facilities and communities: the presence of unqualified individuals interfering with healthcare delivery, mainly for financial gain rather than patient safety.
At the facility, there was a woman who presented herself as a community health worker. Although she wore a health uniform, her attitude, conduct, and way of working raised serious concerns. From observation, it became clear that she was not a formally employed staff, but only a volunteer, yet she behaved as though she had authority over clinical activities.
A pregnant woman came to the facility and could not remember her month of pregnancy. In line with my training and responsibility as a Community Health Officer, I decided to carry out proper antenatal assessment to determine her gestational age and provide appropriate care. As I was about to enter the ANC room, this volunteer blocked my way and insisted that I must not attend to the client simply because I am male and the client is female.
I calmly asked for a professional reason. The client herself did not refuse my services, and no husband or family member was present to object. I explained that healthcare services are based on professional competence, client consent, and ethical practice—not gender. Male and female health professionals provide care to all categories of patients daily, as long as the client is comfortable and standard procedures are followed.
I also made it clear that intimidation or interference in clinical activities is not acceptable. When a qualified health worker is available and a client presents for care, services should not be delayed or obstructed. If the officer on duty is present, there is no justification for blocking care or insisting on calling someone else, especially when such a person is not officially responsible for that service.
Beyond this incident, I observed a disturbing pattern in the volunteer’s activities. Most clients—regardless of their condition—were subjected to the same routine: blood pressure checks, and administration of normal saline infusion, often without clear clinical indication. This practice is unsafe. Not all patients require intravenous fluids, and unnecessary infusions expose clients to avoidable risks while increasing their financial burden.
What became more concerning was the apparent focus on collecting money from patients, rather than providing appropriate and evidence-based care. Healthcare services must never be reduced to routine procedures carried out for profit without proper assessment.
When the incident was later brought to the attention of the Officer-in-Charge, I explained everything confidently. Unfortunately, I was advised to “leave them,” as the volunteers were said to be assisting due to staff shortages. While support is important in understaffed facilities, volunteers must never interfere with clinical duties or replace qualified professionals without proper supervision.
This experience highlights broader issues affecting community healthcare:
Quackery disguised as volunteering
Unauthorized use of health uniforms
Interference with qualified health workers
Unnecessary procedures driven by financial motives
Weak supervision and accountability
This message is not an attack on genuine volunteers. Volunteers play an important role when they are properly trained, supervised, and restricted to appropriate tasks. However, whether licensed or not, anyone who prioritizes money over patient safety requires correction, retraining, or removal.
Community healthcare is not limited to maternal services alone. It includes preventive, promotive, and curative care for all patients—men, women, and children. Protecting these services requires professionalism, ethical conduct, and respect for trained health workers.
This is a true field experience, shared to educate the public, raise awareness, and protect patients from unsafe practices.
Zaharaddeen Bello
Registered Community Health Officer
07033737981
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