The private diagnosis centres in Kano State are strongly advised to abide by the laid down rules and regulations governing their operations as enshrined in the laws of PHIMA or face closing down.
The DG, Private Health Institution Management Agency (PHIMA), Prof. Salisu Ahmad Ibrahim made this known while speaking after shutting down the Family Specialist Diagnosis Centre, Court Road, Gyadi-Gyadi.
Prof. Salisu revealed that the initial name of the centre was Al-Sultan Diagnostic Laboratory, but relocated to its present station without government knowledge, and even increased its services more than what they were certified to carry out.
According to him: “We went to supervise the centre, which is part of our mandates to thoroughly crosscheck the place to ensure it fulfils all the requirements. Sadly, we found out that they already continued with their operations without our knowledge.
“We observed that the service they are rendering is beyond diagnosis, they do clinical consultation as well which is not among what we have registered them for. Again, they are yet to complete installing some equipment and the centre is unorganized.”
The DG maintained that this prompted PHIMA to seal off the centre due to their inability to meet the requirements, adding that the centre would remain closed until they fulfil all the regulations laid down by the laws of the agency, including staff strength, activities they needed to undertake and to ascertain whether it could perform or not, assuring that, “If it fails to fulfil the requirements, we will never open it.”
Prof. Salisu then called on all private diagnosis centres operating in the state to ensure they abided by the laws establishing the PHIMA and the standard operational guidelines, clarifying that the main objective of the agency was to protect the lives of the people of the state, adding this couldn’t be achieved until due process was followed.
He further called on private health institutions to cooperate with his agency to move the healthcare system of the state to the desired level, frowning that illegitimate operation by any private health institution would not be condoned by the Kano State government.
The DG hailed Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf for his beautiful policies on the healthcare system of the state, appreciating the fact that His Excellency himself supervised public health facilities to see for himself how services were being delivered and take actions instantly to correct all the anomalies.
He also appreciated the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf for his high-mindedness and support of the steps and actions being taken by the PHIMA in sanitizing activities of private health institutions in the state and commended the staff of the agency for their steadfastness and endurance in the course of executing the mandate of the agency.
Ibrahim Abdullahi
Information Officer
Ministry of Health
