The Edo State Government has stepped up regulation of the State’s health sector, sealing off over 108 unregistered health facilities for various unsafe medical practices and failing several quality assurance checks, thereby endangering the lives of millions of Edo people.
Health Commissioner, Dr. Samuel Alli, who disclosed this while briefing journalists in Benin City, the Edo State capital, said the sealed facilities employed quacks, practised unsafe abortion, and used expired medicines, among other unethical medical practices.
According to him, the unregistered facilities include 33 medical laboratories, 10 hospitals, 11 nursing homes, 26 community pharmacies, and 28 patent medicine stores.
He said, “When I resumed office in June 2023, part of my charge was to regulate the medical practice in Edo State. This regulation includes registration of all providers of healthcare and ensuring adherence to acceptable medical standards.
“The scope covers the following: hospitals, clinics and medical centres, community pharmacies and patent medicine stores, dental hospitals and clinics, eye hospitals/centres and clinics, physiotherapy centres, nursing homes, diagnostic centres, medical laboratories, maternities, mortuaries, funeral homes, embalmment centres and traditional and alternative medicine practitioners.
