The Lagos State Government has declared it illegal for any health facility to employ or train auxiliary nurses, warning that hospitals engaging in the practice risk outright closure.
Dr. Abiola Idowu, Permanent Secretary of the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), issued the warning on Thursday during a sensitisation campaign and town hall meeting in Alimosho Local Council. Represented by Dr. Olorunfemi Olonire, HEFAMAA’s Director of Research and Statistics, Idowu explained that auxiliary nurses have done “more harm than good” to the healthcare system.
She stressed that only qualified and licensed professionals are permitted to practise in Lagos, urging residents to report unlicensed facilities and quack practitioners to HEFAMAA for swift enforcement.
Between January and June this year, the agency shut down 32 health facilities for various infractions, Idowu disclosed, adding that monitoring and inspection teams have been deployed across all councils and development areas.
At the same event, the King of Shasha Kingdom, Oba Babatunde Nasiru, urged HEFAMAA to address poor staff attitudes in public hospitals and to strengthen oversight of government-owned facilities. He warned that unless service delivery improves, residents may continue turning to unqualified practitioners.
HEFAMAA reiterated its commitment to safeguarding public health by ensuring that only accredited facilities and licensed personnel operate in Lagos State.