By Peter Omopo
The Lagos State Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) has shut down 30 health facilities across the state for operating illegally or failing to meet the government’s minimum standards.
The action was announced on Friday during a sensitisation town hall meeting at the Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Secretariat.
HEFAMAA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Abiola Idowu—represented by the Director of Monitoring and Inspection, Dr. Daniel Olayinka—said the closures were part of efforts to eliminate quack medical practices and protect residents from unsafe healthcare.
“Most of the facilities we shut down were not registered with the Lagos State Government, while others lacked qualified personnel. We also discovered cases of malfunctioning equipment, unhygienic environments, and, in some instances, the complete absence of trained medical staff,” Idowu said.
She stressed that both public and private health facilities are subject to monitoring. “We are not a punitive body. Our mandate is to ensure facilities deliver safe and quality healthcare. If standards fall below what was declared at registration, we intervene,” she added.
Idowu advised residents to confirm the authenticity of health facilities by checking for HEFAMAA’s signage and registration certificates displayed at receptions. She also unveiled a new QR code verification system that allows patients to scan and instantly access details of accredited facilities, as well as submit complaints directly to the agency.
“Quackery is dangerous. If anything goes wrong in an unregistered facility, it becomes difficult for government to trace or sanction the operators. Some of them disappear overnight and resurface elsewhere,” she warned.
The HEFAMAA boss acknowledged the support of traditional rulers and local authorities in the campaign against illegal medical practice, stressing the need for community participation.
“Everyone can become a patient at any time. The government is committed to patient safety, but residents must also play their part by patronising only certified facilities and reporting suspicious ones,” she said.
Idowu added that HEFAMAA will continue to strengthen oversight of health facilities in the state to ensure compliance with proper standards in staffing, equipment, and hygiene.
