The Edo State Government has shut down a hospital in Benin City for allegedly operating for over a decade without statutory registration, citing serious breaches that could endanger patients.
The facility, Jess Royal Hospital, was found not to be registered with either the Edo State Ministry of Health or the Edo State Healthcare Regulation and Monitoring Agency during a monitoring exercise, the agency said.
The agency’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Adesuwa Urhoghide-Edigin, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, explaining that the discovery was made during an inspection of an orphanage housed in the same building as the hospital.
According to her, the hospital owner admitted that the facility had not been registered with the state authorities but said he belonged to the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners.
Urhoghide-Edigin, however, stressed that membership of the association could not substitute for mandatory government registration.
A subsequent inspection by EDOHERMA’s Medical Services Department, led by its Director of Medical Services, Dr Peter Evbuomwan, uncovered what the agency described as multiple safety and environmental deficiencies.
The inspection reportedly found poor infection-control practices, deteriorating ward equipment, damaged mattresses, cobwebs and no evidence of routine fumigation.
The facility also lacked a functional fire extinguisher, an emergency response plan and a formal referral arrangement.
EDOHERMA consequently ordered the hospital to cease all medical activities immediately and gave its operator two weeks to commence registration and address the identified deficiencies.
The agency said another inspection would be conducted to assess compliance before any consideration of reopening.
Urhoghide-Edigin said patient safety remained the agency’s priority, warning that private healthcare facilities must satisfy statutory requirements before operating.
She also reiterated that membership of professional associations does not amount to approval to run a hospital in Edo State.