The Lagos State Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) has intensified efforts to protect residents from substandard healthcare.
Eko Hot News reports that the grassroots outreach featured a sensitization programme and an interactive town hall meeting designed to educate residents on the dangers of patronizing illegal health centres and the importance of using only accredited facilities for medical care.
Speaking during the engagement, the Permanent Secretary of HEFAMAA, Dr. Abiola Idowu, explained that the initiative forms part of the agency’s broader strategy to bring healthcare regulation closer to communities across Lagos State. She stressed that HEFAMAA registration is a critical safeguard that confirms a facility meets required standards and employs qualified professionals.
Dr. Idowu, who was represented by the Deputy Director and Health Educator, Mrs. Oladunni Omonike, cautioned residents against seeking treatment from unregistered centres. She noted that such facilities often operate outside the law and pose serious risks to patient safety, sometimes leading to avoidable complications or loss of lives.
According to her, the Agege exercise marked the 15th local government covered in the ongoing awareness drive. She added that feedback from earlier outreaches shows increasing public understanding of regulated healthcare and stronger support for the agency’s mandate.
Mrs. Omonike emphasized that community participation remains vital to the success of the campaign. She urged residents to report both commendable practices and violations observed in healthcare facilities within their neighborhoods, noting that timely information helps the agency intervene early.
Also addressing participants, the Assistant Director of Nursing Services at HEFAMAA, Mrs. Florence Odude, outlined the agency’s regulatory scope. She said HEFAMAA oversees hospitals, clinics, maternity homes, laboratories, diagnostic centres, nursing homes, and primary healthcare facilities across the state.
Mrs. Odude explained that inspections focus on personnel qualifications, licensing status, equipment condition, and environmental hygiene. She warned that faulty equipment could result in wrong diagnoses, while poor sanitation exposes patients to preventable diseases.
She further noted that facilities found wanting during inspections are sanctioned in line with existing regulations. Mrs. Odude added that patients who patronize illegal health centres often have no protection when complications arise, as such facilities are not recognized by regulatory authorities.
Residents were encouraged to always request proof of professional licenses from healthcare providers and to report suspicious practices, including the administration of injections by unqualified individuals. Informational flyers containing HEFAMAA’s contact details were distributed to aid reporting.
In his goodwill message, the Ologba of Ogba Kingdom, Oba Lateef Egbeyemi Oladimeji, commended HEFAMAA for the sensitization exercise, describing it as a crucial step toward improving healthcare delivery and safeguarding lives at the community level.
