“The facilities were shut down for infractions ranging from quackery, operating beyond schedule, lack of qualified medical personnel to non-registration of facilities and lack of basic equipment.”
It was reported by the Lagos State Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) that 103 health facilities across the state were closed for non-compliance with regulatory standards in 2020.
This information was shared on the official Twitter handle of the state government on Sunday.
The Executive Secretary of HEFAMAA, Abiola Idowu revealed this at a virtual meeting with staff of the agency on Friday.
She said, “The facilities were shut down for infractions ranging from quackery, operating beyond schedule, lack of qualified medical personnel to non-registration of facilities and lack of basic equipment.”
As stated by some officials, some of the facilities were reopened, having corrected their faulted infractions and pledged to strictly follow set standards.
Mrs Idowu emphasized that other facilities will remain sealed until they do the right thing,
It was earlier reported by PREMIUM TIMES that 32 illegal pharmacies and patent medicine stores were sealed off in March 2020 for “illegal operation and operating beyond the scope of practice.”
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Mrs Idowu reassured the public that the state government is committed to fighting quackery and unprofessional conducts in the health system.
She also added that the recent validation of the five-year strategic plan for the agency will go a long way in improving the quality of healthcare delivery to Lagosians through efficient and effective monitoring of health facilities in the state.
Furthermore, the official disclosed that the agency has deployed the use of the Health Facility Inspection Tool (Health FIT), to improve efficient inspection and monitoring of health facilities in the state.
She emphasized that no form of illegal health practices would be tolerated by the agency and admonished all health facility operators across the state to follow strictly with the set standards to avoid penalization.
Prior to starting operations, all new health facilities in Lagos state are expected to register with HEFAMAA so as to protect the health of the people and avoid sanction.
In conclusion, Mrs Idowu appealed to Lagosians to join the government in the fight against quackery and illegal operation of health facilities by reporting people behind such acts to the appropriate agency so as to protect the health of all.