IKORODU RESIDENTS VOW TO EXPOSE QUACK HEALTH FACILITIES, SEEK CONFIDENTIALITY
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By: Sefiu Ajape
Residents of Ikorodu have pledged to actively expose unregistered and unprofessional health facilities operating in their communities, describing such practices as “dangerous” and “a reckless gamble with human lives.”
The vow was made on Thursday by participants at a sensitisation campaign organised by the Lagos State Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), held at the Ikorodu Council Secretariat.
Participants openly raised concerns about illegal clinics and maternity centres in various communities under Ikorodu, calling for assurance of confidentiality as they resolved to provide information on such facilities to HEFAMAA to prevent avoidable loss of lives.
Several residents appealed to the agency to protect the identities of whistleblowers, noting that fear of victimisation often discourages reporting of quack healthcare providers.
Responding to the concerns, HEFAMAA Permanent Secretary, Dr. Abiola Idowu, assured participants that “reports from members of the public are treated with strict confidentiality,” stressing that community cooperation is “a vital tool” in the agency’s regulatory and enforcement efforts.
Represented at the session by Deputy Director of Health Education, Mrs. Oladunni Omonike, the Permanent Secretary explained that the campaign aimed to “encourage residents to take ownership of healthcare safety within their communities.”
She emphasised that residents play “a critical role in identifying illegal facilities,” especially those operating in residential buildings or unapproved locations, adding that timely reports help the agency respond faster and prevent avoidable health risks.
Omonike educated residents on how to distinguish registered health facilities from quack operations, noting that only facilities displaying the official HEFAMAA logo and QR code are “authorised to provide healthcare services in Lagos State.”
She warned against patronising hospitals, clinics, or maternity centres unable to show evidence of registration, noting that such facilities often lack qualified personnel and the minimum standards required for safe medical practice.
Dr. Idowu also cautioned religious and faith-based centres involved in childbirth and maternity services without proper approval, describing the practices as “dangerous and illegal,” and affirmed that the agency “will not hesitate to sanction defaulters” to safeguard lives.
Chief Nutrition Officer of HEFAMAA, Richard Olusanya, stressed that all health facilities, public or private, must meet clearly defined operational standards before approval, explaining that accreditation covers hospitals, laboratories, physiotherapy centres, and government-owned institutions, all required to display the HEFAMAA identification logo.
He added that beyond infrastructure, the presence of qualified healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, and laboratory scientists, along with functional medical equipment, are “non-negotiable requirements” for registration.
HEFAMAA assured residents that it would continue to strengthen public sensitisation, protect whistleblowers, and intensify enforcement actions as part of ongoing efforts to eliminate quack healthcare practices and improve service delivery across Lagos State.
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