The healthcare sector is one of the most important sectors in every society and thus, the need for efficient and well-equipped facilities that can ensure the sustainability of lives of the citizens. With Nigeria’s health sector being immensely ravaged by quack doctors and facilities, as well as the sector’s underdevelopment that have catalyzed the death of so many Nigerians, there has been immense advocate for the country’s Ministry of Health to ensure more reliable and efficient health facilities across the country.
In light of this health sector discrepancy, the Lagos State Government via the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency has in nine months, shut down 42 health facilities in the state. Abiola Idowu, the Executive Secretary of Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency gave this update on Tuesday in Ikeja, as at the period of reviewing the activities of the agency in the last nine months. Mrs. Idowu noted that the agency, having visited over 1040 health facilities from January to September.
The agency ensured inspection of all healthcare facilities in the state.
It was further disclosed by the agency in the press release that the monitoring officers, during the monitoring and inspection of the health facilities focused on important areas like qualification of personnel, the operating processes of the facilities, environment, as well as equipment standards. The Executive Secretary stated that the agency was working towards ensuring the regularity of inspecting every healthcare facility across the state at least twice on a yearly basis, as stipulated by the law.
She stated that these health facilities were sealed as a result of their non-compliance with the sector’s regulatory standards such as the non-registration of their facilities and lack of qualified medical personnel. Mrs. Idowu claimed that these facilities were also guilty of indulging in illegal training of supplementary nurses within these facilities. She also said over 170 facilities in the state was also inspected for registration and 157 facilities issued closure notices, all within the same period.
Operators urged to carry out their operations in line with the law.
Mrs. Idowu again averred that the agency was authorized by the Health Sector Reform Law of 2006, so as to license some of its activities. Additionally, she explained that it was from the Section 49 (5) of the law that the approval of the agency’s authority to select franchise companies to keep an eye on was sourced, as well as ensuring their compliance with all the laws stipulated by the health sector in the state.
She however sent a note of advice to stakeholders of health facilities to get up to date with the laws guiding the health sector, as well as carrying out their operations in accordance with it, to protect the health of all the citizens in the state. She also noted that the Lagos State government was so invested in its commitment to sustaining the struggle towards curbing quackery and unprofessional conduct that has ravaged the health sector in the state.
Operators were also urged to ensure registration before starting operation.
Also, the Executive Secretary implored the health facility operators to ensure the appropriate registration with the agency via its website before kick starting their operations, noting that this would guarantee proper operations of these facilities within the state. She also gave a note of advice to every existing registered operator to make sure that they renew their certificates promptly, in accordance with the health sector stipulation, so as to avoid being sanctioned by the agency.
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