EDOHERMA Seals Jess Royal Hospital Over 10 Years of Unregistered Practice

By Rosemary Okoduwa

The Edo State Healthcare Regulation and Monitoring Agency (EDOHERMA) has shut down Jess Royal Hospital in Benin City after discovering that the facility had operated for more than 10 years without statutory registration, amid serious concerns over patient safety, poor sanitary conditions and inadequate emergency preparedness.

The agency made the discovery during a monitoring exercise at an orphanage located in the same building as the hospital. EDOHERMA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Adesuwa Urhoghide-Edigin, who engaged the hospital owner during the visit, said the operator confirmed that the facility was neither registered with the Edo State Ministry of Health nor currently registered with EDOHERMA.

The owner reportedly cited his membership of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), while explaining that health challenges had prevented him from completing the registration process. Urhoghide-Edigin, however, clarified that membership of a professional association does not constitute statutory approval or authorisation to operate a healthcare facility in Edo State.

Following the disclosure, the EDOHERMA boss directed the agency’s Medical Services Department to conduct a comprehensive inspection. The exercise, led by the Director of Medical Services, Dr. Peter Evbuomwan, uncovered several deficiencies relating to infection control, environmental hygiene, medical equipment, infrastructure and emergency preparedness.

Among the findings were poor infection prevention and control practices, cobwebs on ceilings and walls, rusted and deteriorated ward equipment, badly damaged mattresses and a lack of evidence of routine fumigation or pest-control measures, highlighting significant deficiencies in the facility’s operating environment.
The inspection team also found that the hospital had no valid and serviceable fire extinguisher, emergency preparedness plan or established referral system. EDOHERMA said the deficiencies posed serious risks to patients and raised concerns about the facility’s ability to provide safe healthcare services or respond effectively to emergencies.

Consequently, the agency ordered the immediate cessation of all medical operations at the facility and directed the operator to commence the official EDOHERMA registration process within two weeks, while correcting the identified infrastructural, environmental, equipment and health-standard deficiencies.

EDOHERMA said a follow-up inspection would be conducted to determine the level of compliance, stressing that Jess Royal Hospital would not be allowed to resume operations until it satisfactorily meets all applicable regulatory requirements.

Urhoghide-Edigin reaffirmed that patient safety remains EDOHERMA’s overriding priority, warning that the agency would not allow any healthcare facility to compromise established health, sanitary and operational standards. She further reminded owners and operators of private hospitals and clinics that ANPMP membership does not replace mandatory statutory registration with EDOHERMA, which is required to ensure that healthcare services are delivered in appropriate environments, within approved scopes of practice and by suitably qualified personnel.