The Edo State Healthcare Regulation and Monitoring Agency (EDOHERMA) has sealed Mama Funmi Clinic in Ekiadolor, Ovia North-East Local Government Area (LGA), and Freemase Nursing and Maternity Home in Useh Quarters, Egor LGA, following regulatory inspections that uncovered serious breaches, including alleged credential misuse, absence of qualified healthcare personnel, patient abandonment and unsafe clinical practices.
The enforcement action followed an intelligence-led investigation under Complaint Reference EDOHERMA/INV/023, which identified multiple regulatory violations and concerns over the facilities’ compliance with approved standards, scope of practice and patient-safety requirements.
A joint EDOHERMA Medical and Nursing Services team first inspected Mama Funmi Clinic, Ekiadolor, where officials found that the facility was operating without a valid EDOHERMA licence and displaying a Ministry of Health Registration Certificate belonging to Freemase Nursing and Maternity Home.
The inspection also revealed that the facility was providing General Outpatient and Ante-Natal Care services, with patients, including male patients, being attended to despite the absence of qualified healthcare personnel at the time of the inspection, as only auxiliary nurses were found at the facility.
Officials further identified significant infection prevention and control deficiencies, while the facility lacked appropriate outdoor signage. Persons present at the facility also allegedly attempted to obstruct EDOHERMA officers during the regulatory exercise.
The discovery of Freemase Nursing and Maternity Home’s registration certificate at Mama Funmi Clinic prompted an immediate inspection of Freemase’s facility at Useh Quarters, led by the Chief Executive Officer of EDOHERMA, Dr. Adesuwa Urhoghide-Edigin. At Freemase, EDOHERMA confirmed that the Facility had previously been registered with the Edo State Ministry of Health as a Nursing and Maternity Home, with its Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration displayed on the premises.
Although the Ministry of Health registration certificate bore the Facility’s former address at Stadium Road in Benin City, the Agency established that the Facility had applied to the Ministry several years earlier for a change of address, resulting in its current operation at Useh Quarters.
However, the inspection revealed that the Facility was completely deserted by healthcare personnel. The only persons present were a critically ill adult male patient and two family members. It was gathered that the patient who had been admitted for about a week earlier, was receiving intravenous therapy and had undergone a blood transfusion. Despite his condition, no healthcare professional was present at the Facility to provide care or monitor his treatment.
EDOHERMA officers also observed dirty trays containing mixed medical supplies and other conditions considered unsafe for clinical practice. In view of the patient’s condition and the absence of appropriate medical supervision, EDOHERMA facilitated his urgent evacuation and transfer to an appropriate government hospital for further medical care.
The management of a critically ill adult male patient requiring intravenous therapy and blood transfusion at Freemase raised additional concerns regarding scope of practice, medical supervision, blood transfusion safety, referral procedures and the Facility’s capacity to manage critically ill patients. Following its assessment, the Agency determined that the identified conditions presented significant risks to patient safety and public health.
The presence and treatment of male patients at both facilities also raised concerns regarding their authorised scope of services. EDOHERMA noted that healthcare facilities registered or operating as Nursing and Maternity Homes are required to provide services within the scope permitted for their facility category. Consequently, Mama Funmi Clinic has been sealed and given two weeks to undertake a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to address the identified deficiencies, clarify its facility category and authorised scope of services, and commence the appropriate EDOHERMA registration process.
Freemase Nursing and Maternity Home, also operating as Freemase Care Specialist and Maternity, has been permanently sealed until further notice. The Agency stated that no CAP has been issued as a pathway to reopening, as further investigations into the facility were ongoing.
On the enforcement action, Dr. Urhoghide-Edigin reiterated that EDOHERMA would not tolerate credential lending or misuse, patient abandonment, operation outside an approved scope of practice, absence of qualified healthcare personnel or unsafe clinical practices. She stressed that a licence or registration issued to one healthcare facility cannot be lent, transferred or displayed by another facility, adding that every healthcare provider must operate strictly within its authorised category and scope of services.
EDOHERMA further warned that any attempt to remove an EDOHERMA seal or resume unauthorised operations would attract additional regulatory action under the EDOHERMA Law, including Section 19, where applicable. The agency urged members of the public to report suspected quackery, unregistered healthcare facilities, credential misuse, patient abandonment, operation outside approved scope and other unsafe healthcare practices, asserting that timely community intelligence remains critical to preventing avoidable harm, strengthening healthcare regulation and protecting lives across Edo State.
