Lagos pushes for strategic partnerships to improve healthcare quality

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Lagos State Government has renewed its call for stronger collaboration among healthcare providers, professional associations, civil society, and the public to ensure consistent delivery of high-quality, safe, and accessible healthcare across the state.

This message was at the core of the Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting organised by the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), held on Tuesday, 3rd July, 2025, at the Dover Hotel, Ikeja.

The event was themed “Strengthening Partnership for Quality Healthcare Regulation in Lagos State.”

Speaking at the forum, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, stressed the pivotal role of HEFAMAA in protecting public health through effective regulation and monitoring of health facilities.

“The whole idea of HEFAMAA as a regulatory body is to ensure that we have safe facilities citizens go to. It is for safety. It is to ensure that our citizens are confident when they seek healthcare,” Ogunyemi said.

She emphasised that the government alone cannot effectively monitor the fast-growing number of healthcare facilities in Lagos.

She called for collective responsibility involving private sector stakeholders, professional associations, and civil society organisations to support regulatory efforts.

“There’s no way one agency can monitor the number of facilities springing up daily. We rely heavily on the public and our partners. That’s why we need this forum—for all stakeholders who are concerned about patient safety and quality care,” she added.

Ogunyemi defined quality care as services delivered efficiently, in safe environments, by accredited professionals who meet set standards, stating: “What is quality care? It’s where efficiency is fast, people go there and they don’t die unnecessarily, and the environment is good. Healthcare providers must do what we’ve accredited them to do.”

In her remarks, Dr. Abiola Idowu, the Permanent Secretary of HEFAMAA, echoed similar sentiments, reinforcing the need for collaborative partnerships to uphold and enforce healthcare quality.

“The reason we go into partnerships is because of quality,” she said.

“When we talk about quality, we’re talking about focusing on patients—ensuring they receive the best care in every aspect,” she added.

Idowu highlighted the importance of equity in healthcare quality, insisting that patients should receive the same standard of care in any part of Lagos, whether in Ikoyi, Ikeja, or Agege.

“The type of equipment and medicine a patient comes in contact with in Ikoyi should be the same in Ikeja or Agege. Regardless of ambience, the quality must be the same.”

She challenged healthcare providers to self-audit, benchmark themselves against HEFAMAA’s standards, and adopt a culture of internal accountability.

“They need to start auditing themselves. They must develop the mindset to provide good quality care before we even arrive for inspection,” she urged.

Idowu also called on professional associations to play an active role in sanctioning members who fall short of expectations.

“Professional bodies must support regulatory efforts. When members err, they must be held accountable so we all stay on the right lane,” she stated.

Beyond health institutions and associations, Idowu appealed to the general public to demand high-quality care and report substandard services to HEFAMAA or the Ministry of Health.

“The public must be in partnership with us. They must start demanding quality care. When they don’t receive it, they should speak up.”

The Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting brought together diverse voices from the health sector to forge consensus on regulatory compliance and to renew the collective commitment to safe, equitable, and quality healthcare delivery in Lagos State.