Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudasiru Obasa, has announced plans to establish a regulatory body to oversee private healthcare facilities and ensure they meet operational standards.
Obasa disclosed this during a Gala and Awards Ceremony organized by the Lagos State branch of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP) on Saturday.
He said the initiative aims to guarantee patient safety and quality care across the state, given the large number of private healthcare institutions.
“We have received complaints where the health of many people was badly managed. But we don’t want that to continue,” he said.
The Speaker expressed concern that many private hospitals fail to meet required standards due to inadequate monitoring. He appealed to ANPMP to collaborate with the Assembly in developing laws that would improve healthcare quality.
Obasa stressed that the proposed agency would not duplicate the role of the Health Facilities and Monitoring Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), adding that HEFAMAA’s current staffing and capacity were insufficient to address existing gaps in regulation.
He commended ANPMP for supporting the state government in delivering healthcare services to residents and assured the association of the Assembly’s commitment to enacting business-friendly laws.
Earlier, Dr Jonathan Esegine, Chairman, ANPMP Lagos, praised the Speaker for leading the House in promoting laws that entrench good governance and peace in the state. He reaffirmed the association’s readiness to continue partnering with the state government to provide quality healthcare services.
Speaking on the Awards and Gala ceremony, Esegine said the event was organized to celebrate the dedication and contributions of members throughout the year. He said it also recognized individuals and organizations that had made outstanding contributions to the healthcare sector, while fostering networking and promoting excellence in service delivery.
Among those honored were Dr Olawunmi Otusanya, Dr Rahman Adebisi, Fitplus Healthcare, and Foremost Radiology Consultants Ltd., among others.
