Edo shuts hospital over 10-year unregistered operation

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The Edo State Healthcare Regulation and Monitoring Agency has ordered the immediate closure of a hospital in Benin after discovering that the facility had operated for more than 10 years without registration.

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The agency said the hospital was neither registered with the Edo State Ministry of Health nor currently registered with EDOHERMA.

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EDOHERMA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Adesuwa Urhoghide-Edigin, in a statement on Saturday, said the discovery was made during a monitoring exercise at an orphanage located in the same building as the hospital.

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Urhoghide-Edigin said she engaged the hospital owner during the visit and was informed that the facility was not registered with the state government.

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The owner reportedly told the agency that he was a member of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners.

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Urhoghide-Edigin clarified that ANPMP membership does not amount to statutory registration and does not authorise anyone to operate a healthcare facility in Edo State.

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She subsequently directed the agency’s Medical Services Department to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the hospital.

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The follow-up inspection, led by the Director of Medical Services, Dr. Peter Evbuomwan, reportedly identified several deficiencies in the facility.

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According to the statement, the operator told the inspection team that health challenges had prevented him from completing the registration process.

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EDOHERMA, however, said the facility was expected to meet all statutory requirements for continued operation since it had remained in service.

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“The inspection also revealed poor infection prevention and control practices, cobwebs on ceilings and walls, rusted and deteriorated ward equipment, badly damaged mattresses and a lack of evidence of routine fumigation or pest control.

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“The hospital was also found to have no valid and serviceable fire extinguisher, emergency preparedness plan or established referral system,” the statement read.

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EDOHERMA said the deficiencies raised serious concerns about patient safety and the facility’s ability to respond appropriately to emergencies.

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The agency consequently directed the hospital to stop all medical operations immediately.

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It gave the facility two weeks to begin the official EDOHERMA registration process and correct the identified infrastructural, environmental, equipment and health-standard deficiencies.

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The agency said it would conduct a follow-up inspection to determine the level of compliance.

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It added that the hospital would not be allowed to resume healthcare operations until it satisfactorily met the applicable regulatory requirements.

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Urhoghide-Edigin said patient safety remained the agency’s overriding priority, stressing that no healthcare facility would be allowed to compromise established health, sanitary and operational standards in the state.

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EDOHERMA also reminded owners and operators of private hospitals and clinics in Edo that ANPMP membership does not constitute government approval or authorisation to operate.

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The agency said statutory registration with EDOHERMA was mandatory to ensure that healthcare services were provided in appropriate environments, within approved scopes of practice and by suitably qualified personnel.

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