Okpebholo Launches Sweeping Health Sector Reform with Edo HEMMA

By Elvis Omiregie, Benin 

The Executive Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, has set in motion a far-reaching overhaul of the state’s health regulatory architecture with the signing of the Edo Health Facility Monitoring and Regulation Agency (Edo HEMMA) Bill into law on December 5, 2025, establishing a single statutory authority for health sector oversight.

The new agency, Edo HEMMA, has commenced operations less than three months after its establishment and is now the sole body responsible for monitoring, licensing and regulating healthcare services across the state.

Unlike the previous framework domiciled under the Ministry of Health, the agency’s mandate extends beyond hospitals and clinics to cover the broader public health ecosystem, including hotels, restaurants, lounges, salons and spas where procedures with health implications are carried out.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council, in Benin City, the Chief Executive Officer of Edo HEMMA, Dr. Adesuwa Urhoghide, described the reform as a long-overdue intervention aimed at strengthening standards, eliminating quackery and restoring public confidence in healthcare delivery.

Urhoghide explained that establishments offering services such as tooth whitening, cosmetic treatments and other invasive procedures must now operate under the supervision of licensed health professionals, warning that the era of loosely regulated health-related services in the state has ended.

At the heart of the reform is a strategic ambition to position Edo as a credible destination for medical tourism. According to the agency, standardised care, functional equipment and verified personnel will become non-negotiable benchmarks for any facility operating within the state.

The agency also signalled a clampdown on unverified health advertising, particularly by self-acclaimed traditional healers and unregistered practitioners promoting questionable claims on radio and television. Media organisations were urged to demand proof of Edo HEMMA approval before airing health-related advertisements.

Chairman of the NUJ Edo State Council, Festus Alenkhe, raised concerns over the proliferation of facilities allegedly registered using the credentials of absentee medical professionals, as well as individuals falsely presenting themselves as qualified doctors despite incomplete training.

Such practices, stakeholders noted, have contributed to avoidable fatalities and emergency referrals when facilities lack the capacity to manage critical cases, eroding public trust and raising medico-legal risks.

In response, the agency assured that routine inspections, personnel verification and equipment audits would be institutionalised, stressing that regulation is designed as a collaborative safeguard rather than a punitive instrument.

To deepen public participation, Edo HEMMA is set to roll out an anti-quackery feedback system featuring dedicated hotlines and QR-enabled complaint channels that allow anonymous reporting of erring professionals, facilities or even agency officials.

As Edo intensifies efforts to upgrade healthcare governance, analysts say the long-term impact of Edo HEMMA will depend on sustained enforcement, public awareness and strong media partnership — factors considered essential to boosting investor confidence and unlocking growth in the state’s evolving health economy.

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