Ajah Residents Urged To Avoid Illegal Hospitals, Patronise HEFAMAA Approved Health Facilities
By Sherif Salau
Ajah residents have been urged to prioritise their health and safety by patronising only the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) approved hospitals and healthcare facilities to avoid the dangers associated with unlicensed medical operators.
HEFAMAA issued the advisory as it formally opened an annex office in Ajah, a move designed to bring regulatory oversight closer to one of the city’s rapidly expanding residential corridors. Officials said the new outpost would strengthen monitoring of healthcare facilities and intensify the fight against medical quackery in the area.
Speaking during a community sensitisation and outreach programme to introduce the annex, the Executive Secretary of HEFAMAA, Dr Victoria Egunjobi, represented by the Director of Monitoring and Inspection, Dr Olayinka Daniel, appealed directly to residents. She urged them to seek treatment only at government-approved and registered healthcare facilities, stressing that unregulated centres expose patients to serious and often preventable risks.
“Residents of Ajah and neighbouring communities should verify the registration and accreditation status of hospitals before seeking medical attention,” the agency stated. Officials also encouraged members of the public to report any suspected unregistered facilities or substandard practices to HEFAMAA without delay.
The outreach went beyond the formal warning. Participants were educated on their rights as healthcare consumers, the principles of patient safety, and the important role communities can play in preventing medical quackery. Traditional institutions, healthcare professionals and ordinary residents were called upon to share responsibility for ensuring that only properly regulated facilities operate in the area.
For many living in Ajah, where private clinics and hospitals have proliferated alongside new housing developments, the message carries particular weight. The convenience of a nearby facility can sometimes outweigh careful scrutiny of credentials. HEFAMAA’s intervention is intended to reverse that tendency by making regulatory services more accessible and by equipping residents with the knowledge to demand safer care.
The new Ajah annex is expected to ease access for both providers seeking accreditation and members of the public wishing to lodge complaints or verify a facility’s status. Officials believe the physical presence of the agency in the community will improve compliance monitoring and deter operators who have previously worked outside the regulatory framework.
As Lagos continues to expand, the challenge of ensuring safe healthcare remains constant. HEFAMAA’s latest step in Ajah is a reminder that patient safety depends not only on government enforcement but also on the everyday choices of residents. By insisting on approved facilities and reporting those that fall short, communities can help close the space in which quackery thrives.
