By Chidimma Oparaochaekwe
The Lagos State Government has urged residents to patronise only registered health facilities to protect themselves from unqualified medical practitioners and ensure they receive safe and quality healthcare.
The call was made during a sensitisation exercise organised by the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, HEFAMAA, for residents and community members in Ajah.
The exercise was aimed at creating awareness about the agency’s newly established liaison office, which will bring its services closer to the people and strengthen the monitoring of health facilities in Ajah and surrounding communities.
The Executive Secretary, HEFAMAA, Dr Victoria Egunjobi, who was represented by the Director of Inspection and Monitoring at HEFAMAA, Dr Olayinka Daniel, said the agency organised the exercise to inform residents about the new office and its services.
“We are out today to sensitise residents and community members about the establishment of a liaison office.”
He explained that the office was established in line with the state government’s ease-of-doing-business policy, allowing residents and health facility operators to make enquiries and receive assistance without travelling to the agency’s headquarters in Ikeja.
He added that the office had ICT, monitoring and administrative staff to assist facilities with registration and renewal of their annual certificates.
Daniel urged residents to check for the HEFAMAA identification logo and valid registration or renewal certificate displayed at the reception of health facilities before seeking medical care.
He warned that the agency would not tolerate quackery and would prosecute illegal operators in accordance with the law.
“HEFAMAA has zero tolerance for quackery, and we will prosecute them.”
The director said the liaison office would enable monitoring teams to cover more health facilities in the area and ensure they were registered, had adequate staff and equipment, and maintained clean and hygienic environments.
He described Ajah as the agency’s first liaison office and disclosed plans to establish another office to cover the Ikorodu axis before extending the initiative to other parts of Lagos State.
“This is our first liaison office. We also have plans to establish another office to cover the Ikorodu axis.”
Also speaking, a Chief in the Palace of the Oba of Ajah, Alhaji Fatai Olumegbon, commended HEFAMAA for the sensitisation exercise, saying it would help residents identify recognised hospitals and avoid unregistered health facilities.
“What they are doing is very good because it helps to enlighten people.”
Olumegbon advised residents to seek medical care at recognised hospitals rather than unregistered facilities.
He, however, appealed to the state government to build a bigger hospital in Ajah, noting that the community currently had only a Mother and Child Centre, MCC, and lacked another hospital to handle emergencies.
“We only have a Mother and Child Centre. Beyond that, there is no other hospital to attend to emergencies.”
The establishment of the liaison office is expected to make it easier for health facility operators in Ajah and nearby communities to access HEFAMAA’s services and meet regulatory requirements.
The agency’s sensitisation campaign also highlights the importance of public awareness and community participation in preventing quackery and promoting safe healthcare delivery across Lagos State.
