The Anambra State Government has unveiled a digital Health Facility Accreditation system as part of measures to strengthen healthcare regulation, protect patients and ensure that only licensed facilities provide medical services.
The initiative, launched under the state’s ongoing health facility accreditation and licensing exercise, is designed to help residents easily identify approved healthcare providers and avoid unregistered operators through the use of QRenabled verifiable stickers that have gone through all required accreditation procedures.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, said the sticker would serve as a verification tool for residents seeking medical care while promoting transparency, accountability and improved standards in the health sector.
Obidike said private hospitals, maternity homes, medical laboratories, dental clinics and other healthcare facilities must undergo annual licensing and accreditation before they are permitted to operate.
He explained that only facilities that meet the standards set by the Ministry of Health would receive the official sticker, which must be displayed prominently for patients and visitors.
The commissioner added that the sticker contains a unique QR code that allows members of the public to verify a facility’s accreditation status using a smartphone. It also provides the ministry’s website and contact channels for reporting complaints, suspected malpractice or unlicensed medical activities.
He said the initiative would help tackle quackery and strengthen public confidence in healthcare services by ensuring that medical care is provided by qualified and approved practitioners.
The Director of Medical Services at the Anambra State Ministry of Health, Dr Ugochukwu Chukwulobelu, said the accreditation exercise involves detailed inspections to determine whether health facilities meet regulatory requirements before approval is granted.
He said inspection teams assess facilities based on infrastructure, medical equipment, staffing, infection prevention and control measures, waste management, emergency preparedness and proper patient record-keeping.
The Director of Awka Medical Centre, Dr Eric Anazodo, who received a renewed operational licence for 2026, said compliance with government regulations is essential for delivering safe and quality healthcare services.
He urged healthcare facility operators to prioritise timely licence renewal, describing regulatory compliance as key to maintaining public trust.
The accreditation team also visited Rock Foundation Hospital in Awka, where officials presented and displayed the Health Facility Accreditation Sticker after the facility successfully renewed its operational licence for 2026.
The Anambra State Government said the initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen healthcare governance, improve patient safety and raise standards of medical service delivery.
