Lagos shuts 34 hospitals, 126 illegal pharmaceutical outlets

The Lagos State Government has shutdown 34 hospitals and 126 illegal pharmaceutical outlets in the state for operating without the laid down standard.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed this on Thursday at a ministerial press conference in Lagos.

According to Idris, 268 patent medicine shops were inspected and 295 applicants recommended and approved for licensing, adding that 80 patent medicine vendors were trained on the use of Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) for malaria parasites.

He said 126 illegal pharmaceutical outlets were raided and sealed in the last one year.

The commissioner also disclosed that the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) inspected 1,795 facilities, which included 321 public hospitals.

He added that 34 hospitals were closed while 21 petitions were received by the unit, disclosing that “1,917 hospitals renewed their registration, 161 new certificates were issued and 309 new facilities were inspected for registration.”

Idris also said awareness campaign on drug abuse and drug trafficking control was conducted in three public secondary schools while 200 copies of drug abuse awareness booklets were printed and 500 participants attended the United Nations (UN) day celebration at City hall Lagos in June, 2016.

On the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Services, Idris said the agency in collaboration with District 9110 Rotary Club made voluntary blood donation, a signature project and that this was launched in November, 2016 with the aim of donating 1,000 units of blood in one year.

“Three hundred and fifty units of blood have been donated so far by members of the club. A total of 104 donor drives were carried out in various corporate organizations by LSBTS within this period, resulting in the recruitment of 3,694 voluntary blood donors. Public hospitals contributed 30 % of the total voluntary non remunerated donor recruitment.

“In the last one year, 33,462 donors were recruited from the public hospitals as family blood donors (Replacement and donors from antenatal clinics), while 44,287 units of blood were collected by registered private blood banks.

“A total of 86,419 units of blood were screened for both private and public blood banks during the last one year out of which 82,016 were released for use,” he disclosed.