PHOTOS: HEFAMAA MEETS STAKEHOLDERS, SEEKS JOINT EFFORTS TO COMBAT QUACKERY IN HEALTHCARE SECTOR
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The Lagos State Government, as a means to safeguard public health and maintain quality healthcare standards, has said that it will strengthen its collaboration with stakeholders in the health sector to tackle the menace of quackery and other unprofessional practices capable of undermining the integrity of its healthcare system.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Mrs. Kemi Ogunyemi, stated this on Tuesday in Lagos during a Stakeholders’ Engagement meeting organised by the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) and affirmed that the scourge of quackery posed a grave threat to the health and wellbeing of citizens.
As part of the strategies to stop the operations of unlicensed medical practitioners, she said that the government is committed to regular inspections of healthcare facilities to ensure compliance with licensing and regulatory requirements and improved public awareness campaigns to educate the populace about the dangers of seeking medical treatment from unqualified practitioners, which are some of the strategies that will help nip quackery in the bud.
In her words, “We must all take collective responsibility to combat quackery and uphold the integrity of the healthcare system. By working together and fostering a culture of accountability, we can effectively rid our society of this scourge.
“Additionally, the scourge of quackery poses a grave threat to the health and well-being of our citizens. We cannot afford to overlook or underestimate the detrimental impact of unqualified individuals practicing medicine without proper credentials,” she added.
Speaking on the importance of stakeholders’ engagement, Ogunyemi said that HEFAMAA recognizes the need for improvement in its processes, hence the importance of periodic meetings with stakeholders for invaluable insights and feedback that will help shape its approaches to regulatory functions.
She also used the opportunity of the Stakeholders’ Engagement to urge the various healthcare professionals, such as pharmacists, nurses, and laboratory technicians, among others, to stay within the confines of their specialization.
She averred that in a situation where healthcare professionals perform very complex medical procedures beyond their training and expertise, such practice will not only pose a risk to patient safety but also undermine the integrity of the healthcare system as a whole.
“In Lagos State, we recognise the dedication, collaboration and commitment of healthcare professionals, but it must be conducted within the framework of established protocols and professional standards,” the Special Adviser added.
Ogunyemi emphasised the importance of carefully considering registration fees and balancing affordability for practitioners with adequate resources for regulation and oversight to uphold standards of care and protect patient safety.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of HEFAMAA, Dr. Abiola Idowu, dealt with issues surrounding the registration and renewal processes of health facilities in the state.
She said ensuring that health facilities are in good standing with HEFAMAA is not only integral to checkmating quackery practices but also serves as a pillar of accountability and professionalism within the healthcare sector.
While lamenting some gaps noticed by HEFAMAA over time in the online registration processes, the Executive Secretary emphasised that health practitioners were only deemed to have registered if they received a certificate of registration from the agency.
“Take, for instance, HEFAMAA registered by location, we are not CAC. The moment you move from one location to another, you are no longer registered. There are conditions for registration. We register premises and not names, these are some of the issues we are encountering,” Idowu said.
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