Edo Shuts Unregistered Hospital After 10 Years of Operation

The Edo State Healthcare Regulation and Monitoring Agency has mandated the immediate closure of a hospital in Benin that had been operating for more than 10 years without proper registration. The agency discovered during a monitoring exercise that the hospital was not registered with the Edo State Ministry of Health or EDOHERMA.

Dr. Adesuwa Urhoghide-Edigin, the CEO of EDOHERMA, stated that the hospital owner claimed membership in the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners, which does not equate to statutory registration. A follow-up inspection led by Dr. Peter Evbuomwan revealed numerous deficiencies, including poor infection prevention practices, cobwebs, rusted equipment, and a lack of emergency preparedness.

The hospital was given two weeks to start the registration process and rectify the identified issues, with a follow-up inspection planned to ensure compliance. EDOHERMA emphasized that patient safety is a priority and that no facility would be allowed to operate without meeting health standards.