The Lagos State Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, HEFAMAA, has shut 16 health facilities across the State for non-compliance with regulatory standards.

The Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr. Abiola Idowu, who disclosed this recently  while reviewing the activities of the Agency for the month of September and October, 2020, explained that out of 280 health facilities monitored in the months under review, 16 facilities were shut for infractions ranging from quackery, operating beyond schedule, lack of qualified medical personnel to non-registration of facilities, training of auxiliary nurses and lack of basic equipment.

She warned that the State government will not tolerate such unprofessional practices, which could compromise the health and the wellbeing of patients and undermine the huge investment of the State Government in qualitative healthcare delivery, stressing that any facility owner or operator found perpetrating any of these acts will be prosecuted accordingly and the facility sealed.

“These unethical practices could compromise the health status of patients and undermine the huge investment of the government in qualitative healthcare delivery. Hence, any healthcare facility owner or operator found perpetrating any of these acts will be prosecuted accordingly and the facility sealed”, she asserted.

While clarifying that health facilities earlier sealed can be reopened after all standards and instructions have been observed and approval granted by the Honourable Commissioner for Health, the Executive Secretary disclosed that 14 facilities were reopened in the two months under review after complying with the set standards.

She maintained that the Agency will continue to insist that the environment for the delivery of healthcare services should be suitable for the promotion and maintenance of good health.

Idowu, therefore, urged health facility operators to abide strictly by all stipulated standards to avoid being sanctioned, adding that they should also complete their online registration or renewal using the HEFAMAA e-portal, collect the Agency’s logo and display it at a conspicuous position in the premises where visible to members of the public.

Disclosing that the Agency attended to eight petitions from members of the public in the month of October, the Executive Secretary advised the people to be vigilant and patronise only government-accredited health facilities with the Agency’s logo or proof of registration, advising the public to report those behind illegal operations for prompt action.

She hinted that the Agency recently held a stakeholders’ session to develop a five-year strategic plan, which according to her, will point the way forward in policy formulation for the Agency in the next few years.

In her words: “Some of the key areas we are focusing on include leveraging technology to provide efficient services, training and retraining of HEFAMAA staff and facility operators, increasing community participation and health education as well as increasing our engagements with stakeholders and the general public”.

“It is our belief that the strategic plan will go a long way in addressing most of the issues raised by stakeholders and the general public as well as provide the Agency with the opportunity to achieve the vision of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration in safeguarding the health and the well-being of the citizens”, Idowu added.