The Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on unlicensed health institutions, closing down at least 200 facilities in the Ashanti Region found to be operating without valid licenses.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (14 October), Christabel Eyram Nuhoho, Head of Public Relations at HeFRA, said the exercise forms part of the agency’s renewed commitment to enforce compliance and safeguard public health.
“We have started closing down unlicensed facilities because operating without a HeFRA license is a direct threat to society,” Nuhoho said. “If a facility is not licensed, we cannot tell whether qualified professionals are working there or whether proper treatment procedures are being followed.”
She explained that the affected facilities include hospitals, clinics, maternity homes, dental and optical centers, among others. Some had never been licensed by HeFRA, while others had failed to renew their licenses, some of which expired as far back as 2019 and 2021.
Nuhoho clarified that HeFRA does not take pleasure in shutting down facilities but acts only after extensive engagement.
“We engage operators, give them timelines to correct issues, and even provide recommendations after inspections. But some remain recalcitrant and continue operating in defiance of the law. Those are the ones we’re coming after,” she explained.
According to her, logistical constraints have affected HeFRA’s monitoring activities. The agency currently has offices in only nine out of Ghana’s fifteen regions, with operational vehicles available in just four. However, she said HeFRA is determined to overcome these challenges.
“We admit there have been challenges—limited personnel, logistics, and regional presence—but that will not stop us. Our new focus is clear: no license, no operation,” she stressed.
Nuhoho also urged the public to play an active role by verifying the licensing status of health facilities before seeking care.
“Every licensed facility is required by law to display its valid HeFRA certificate at the reception. Patients should look out for the certificate—not just a sticker—and check that it is valid. If you find any facility without a HeFRA license, report it to us,” she advised.
She revealed that the Greater Accra Region has also recorded several closures, with 23 facilities shut down last week and three more on Monday. The next phase of the exercise will extend to the Eastern Region in the coming days.
HeFRA says a full list of closed and non-compliant facilities will be published on its website and shared with the media once the exercise concludes.
“We are not targeting anyone. We want to protect lives. Any facility that wants to operate legally should come to HeFRA and begin the licensing process. But if we find you first, the story will be different,” Nuhoho warned.
Source: asaaseradio.com
