1st November, 2022
The Lagos Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) has sealed 42 health facilities out of about 1,040 visited between January to September 2022.
Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr Abiola Idowu who disclosed this today in her office at Alausa, Ikeja while reviewing the activities of the Agency in the last nine months said that the facilities were shutdown for non-compliance with regulatory standards.
She added that other infractions committed include non-registration of facilities and lack of qualified medical personnel as well as the training of auxiliary nurses.
She said in the same period, 170 facilities across the State were inspected for registration while about 157 closure notices were issued.
Abiola explained that the key areas the monitors focused attention on during monitoring and inspection exercise of health facilities are “the qualification of personnel, operations and processes of the facility, its environment as well as the standard of equipment and compliance with minimum standards.”
Answering the question on franchising of HEFAMAA’s monitoring activities, Idowu explained that the aim of the franchise is to improve the effectiveness of the monitoring exercise so that almost all the facilities across the State could be monitored at least twice a year as the law stipulates.
She explained further, “the Agency is empowered by the Health Sector Reform (HSR) Law 2006 to franchise some of its activities.” She added, “Section 49 (5) of the law granted the Agency the power to select franchise companies to monitor and ensure compliance with the law by health facilities in the State.”
Idowu advised owners and operators of health facilities to get acquainted with the law and carry out their operations in accordance with it to safeguard the health of the people.
While emphasizing the commitment of the State Government in sustaining the fight against quackery and unprofessional conducts in the system, she urged intending operators to ensure proper registration with the Agency through its website, hefamaa.lagosstate.gov.ng before commencing medical practice.
She added that existing registered operators should ensure prompt renewal of their certificates to avoid being sanctioned.