Posted by Anthony Nkansi on
The Lagos State government yesterday shut down 18 health facilities found to be operating illegally in the state.....
The Lagos State government yesterday shut down 18 health facilities found to be operating illegally in the state.
The state's Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (Hefemaa), which carried out the exercise, explained that the forceful closure is in line with the on-going health sector reforms of the state government aimed at providing qualitative medical care to citizens of the state and affects only those facilities that do not comply with the provisions of the Health Sector Reform Law.
The exercise was led by Dr. (Mrs) Bolaji Akinrimisi and Mrs Shola Hassan, director and secretary respectively of Hefemaa, who also served notices of closure and letter of reviewing renewal of registration to over five other health facilities in the state.
Prior to the shut down, an inspection team of the agency had gone out to inspect hospitals\laboratories affected and served them with closure notices to stop illegal operation.
The penalty for contravening the law that established the agency and its operation include payment of a fine of N250, 000.00 for individuals and N500, 000.00 for corporate bodies or imprisonment not exceeding three (3) years in both cases.
The affected health facilities were sanctioned for operating unregistered health facilities with unqualified health personnel (quack), unsatisfactory location of the health facilities, and non-conformity of the said health facilities with the provision of the Health Sector Reform Law.
Some of the hospitals\clinics and laboratories affected by yesterday's operation include Raphael Hospital at Aga Irese Road, Ikorodu, Morrison Diagnostic Centre at 533, Abeokuta Expressway, Abule Egba, Alimosho Local Government, Health Link Diagnostic Centre, 125 Dopemu Road Agege, Check-up Medical Lab at 1A Sharatu Street, God Glory Medical Diagnostic Centre, Biola Convalescent Health centre at 24 Shiaba Street, Agege.
Although no health personnel connected with the various health facilities was arrested, the affected health institutions were put under government seal and anybody that contravenes the sealing order would be prosecuted. One of the affected facilities, Pentagon Medical Laboratory at 159, Dopemu road, Dopemu was sealed, the premises is unregistered and has no qualified personnel. While Anu Medical Centre at 7, Akinwande Street, Badore Bus\stop was also sealed because it is not registered, no qualified personnel on duty, using another facility registered as its own.
The agency, which is backed by the 2006 Health Sector Reform law, is saddled with the responsibility of setting required minimum standard for operations of both public and private health facilities.
Hefemaa is also charged with collating information on projected patient flow and monitoring chart for actual performance from all health facilities. It also inspects, monitor and license all health facilities listed in the schedule of the health sector reform law, evaluate performance, based on set standard, oversees the quality Drug Assurance Laboratory, process application for registration submitted to the agency and collate all necessary information on registered health facilities in the state.