By Ado Oyeyemi
The Edo State Healthcare Regulation and Monitoring Agency has ordered the immediate closure of a hospital in Benin City after discovering that it had been operating for more than a decade without the required government registration.
The facility, Jess Royal Hospital, was found not to be registered with either the Edo State Ministry of Health or the Edo State Healthcare Regulation and Monitoring Agency.
The Chief Executive Officer of EDOHERMA, Dr Adesuwa Urhoghide Edigin, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, explaining that the discovery was made during a monitoring exercise at an orphanage housed in the same building as the hospital.
According to her, discussions with the owner during the visit revealed that the hospital had never been registered with the state authorities.
The owner reportedly explained that he belonged to the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners.
However, Urhoghide Edigin said membership of the professional association could not be regarded as a substitute for statutory registration or approval from the state government.
Following the discovery, she directed the agency’s Medical Services Department to carry out a detailed inspection of the facility.
The inspection team, led by the Director of Medical Services, Dr Peter Evbuomwan, subsequently identified several shortcomings that the agency considered serious threats to patients’ safety.
Among the problems observed were inadequate infection prevention measures, cobwebs on ceilings and walls, deteriorated and rusty medical equipment, damaged mattresses and the absence of evidence showing that the facility underwent regular fumigation or pest control.
The agency also found that the hospital lacked a functional fire extinguisher, an emergency response plan and a formal referral arrangement for patients requiring higher levels of care.
EDOHERMA said the conditions exposed patients to unnecessary risks and raised questions about the hospital’s capacity to handle medical emergencies.
The operator reportedly told the inspection team that personal health challenges had contributed to his inability to complete the registration process.
The agency, however, maintained that the hospital was expected to comply with all mandatory requirements before providing healthcare services, irrespective of how long it had been operating.
Consequently, the regulatory body ordered the immediate suspension of all medical activities at the hospital.
It also gave the facility a two week deadline to commence the formal registration process and address the deficiencies identified in its infrastructure, environment, equipment and general healthcare standards.
EDOHERMA said another inspection would be conducted after the stipulated period to assess the level of compliance.
The agency warned that the hospital would remain closed until it had fulfilled all applicable regulatory requirements to the satisfaction of the authorities.
Urhoghide Edigin stressed that protecting patients remained the agency’s primary responsibility, adding that healthcare providers would not be permitted to compromise safety, sanitation and other operational standards in the state.
She further urged operators of private hospitals and clinics to understand that belonging to ANPMP does not amount to government approval to run a healthcare facility.
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EDOHERMA said registration was compulsory for private healthcare facilities in the state to ensure that medical services were provided in suitable environments, within approved areas of practice and by properly qualified personnel.
