HEFAMAA urges Lagos residents to unmask illegal health facilities with QR Code

Residents of Yaba and its environs have been urged to take an active role in safeguarding their health by verifying the registration status of hospitals and clinics operating within their communities through a new digital system introduced by the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA).

Speaking at a sensitisation campaign and town hall meeting held at Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the Permanent Secretary, HEFAMAA, Dr. Abiola Idowu, said the initiative marks a new phase in citizen-driven healthcare monitoring across Lagos State.

Dr. Idowu was represented at the meeting by the Head of Research and Statistics at HEFAMAA, Dr. Olonire Olorunfemi.

According to Idowu, the sensitisation campaign aims to equip residents with the knowledge to identify legitimate healthcare providers, report illegal practices, and demand higher standards of medical service delivery.

“HEFAMAA’s presence here today is not just to talk about regulation, but to empower residents to become watchdogs of their own health,” she said.

“Through our new QR code system, anyone with a smartphone can confirm whether a health facility is duly registered, see its scope of operation, and even send complaints directly to HEFAMAA,” Idowu added.

The Permanent Secretary noted that this participatory approach is part of the agency’s broader plan to improve service quality in both public and private health facilities, while also addressing the menace of quackery that continues to endanger lives in the state.

Idowu categorised quackery into two types-outright quackery, where unqualified individuals pose as medical professionals, and systematic quackery, where licensed practitioners operate beyond their approved scope.

She stressed that both forms constitute serious risks to public health and must be eliminated through collaboration between government and community members.

“Residents are our strongest allies in this fight. If you notice a clinic performing surgeries when it’s only registered for maternity care, or you suspect unqualified personnel, use the QR code to alert us immediately,” she urged.

She reaffirmed HEFAMAA’s commitment to enforcing healthcare standards, protecting residents from medical malpractice, and ensuring that only accredited facilities provide care in Lagos State.

Also speaking, the Onisabe of Igbobi-Sabe, Yaba, Oba Owolabi Adeyemi Adeniyi, urged residents of Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) to take responsibility for their health by patronising only government-approved medical facilities within the community.

The royal father commended HEFAMAA for its proactive efforts in protecting public health through the sensitisation campaign and charged community members to put into practice the knowledge gained from the town hall meeting to ensure safer healthcare choices.

Speaking on the “Importance of Registration and the QR Codes,” the Chief Nutrition Officer at HEFAMAA, Mr. Richard Olusanya, traced the establishment of the agency to 2006, explaining that it was created to regulate and monitor hospitals, clinics, maternity homes, and other healthcare facilities across Lagos State.

Olusanya said HEFAMAA’s core mandate is to ensure compliance with standards relating to personnel, equipment, and environment, adding that only qualified medical professionals are permitted to manage health facilities.

“If you are operating a hospital, the person in charge must be a licensed medical doctor or nurse. We don’t want a situation where one person treats the eyes, teeth, and every other ailment, that’s how people fall victim to quackery,” he said.

He explained that the agency carries out biannual inspections to verify compliance with regulatory standards and clarified that clinics are not designed to operate 24 hours a day like hospitals.

Olusanya also urged both public and private health facility operators to display their registration certificates prominently as proof of legitimacy and public confidence.

“Once you scan the HEFAMAA QR code, you can access the facility’s name, address, and owner. You can also send feedback directly to us. We encourage residents to share this information widely within their communities and associations to promote safer healthcare practices,” he said.