By Emmanuella Oghenetega
The Federal Government has assured of the studying and implementation of the reports/recommendations of the Committee on Establishment of National Healthcare Facility Regulatory Agency (NHFRA).
Making this assurance, was Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, the Minister of State for Health & Social Welfare, when the Committee tasked with the mandate to provide a framework for the establishment of a NHFRA submitted it’s report to the Ministry.
The Minister, during the official presentation of the report, underscored the importance of the overarching objective for setting up the proposed Agency.
In a statement signed by Alaba Balogun,
Deputy Director, Information & Public Relations, it was revealed that the Minister asserted that the government realised the critical need to establish an independent body that will address the gaps of standard and quality existing in health sector.
Dr. Salako went on to assure all professional bodies within the Health Sector that NHFRA is not being set up to undermine any professional leader or take up the work of any existing regulatory body.
“The whole essence is for us to be able to say that these are the standards of practice in the country and have a body that can support states in their regulatory activity because states are already doing regulations, they are the ones that register facilities, and, also have some level of monitoring of compliance of those facilities to their set rules.
“So let me assure you, members of the Committee, that the reports and recommendations are not going to sit on the shelves. We’re going to make every effort to look at how we can activate it to ensure that we improve healthcare sector in our country,” the Minister further expatiated.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary Daju Kachollom, affirmed that NHFRA is a timely and visionary response to the longstanding gaps in regulating both public and private healthcare facilities across the country.
The Permanent Secretary who was represented by Pharmacist Olubunmi Aribeana Director Food & Drugs Department of the Ministry, commended Dr. Richardson Ajayi the leader of the committee whose work started in September 2024, culminating in a comprehensive report that not only outlines the framework for NHFRA, but also includes a draft establishment deal, resource mobilisation plan and implementation strategy.
Presenting the report, the Chairman Committee for the Establishment of National Healthcare Facility Regulatory Agency NHFRA Dr. Richardson Ajayi asserted that the proposed regulatory agency aligns with federal government’s commitment to achieving Universal Health Coverage UHC and the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs) by ensuring that all healthcare facilities meet fundamental standards of care.
