The Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HEFRA) has closed down four private health facilities in Accra for operating without license, with others expected to be closed down soon.
The Obengfo hospital is among facilities closed down in a joint operation by HEFRA in conjunction with the Ghana Police Service to close down all unlicensed health facilities in the country.
CEO of Obengfo Hospital, Dr Dominic Obeng- Andoh, also known as Dr Obengfo is in police custody for refusing to comply with directives by the authorities and inciting patients on admission not to vacate the facility.
This is the second time in three years that Dr. Obengfo has been accused of operating an unlicensed medical facility in the country.
The health facilities closed down are Susan Clinic at Latebiorkorshie, China recovery clinic at Achimota, Grace Diagnostic Center at Tantra hill and Obengfo hospital at Weija.
Two ambulances were on hand to safely transport any patient on admission with critical conditions in any of the facilities closed down during the operation. The facilities closed were also cited for operating several equipment without authorisation as well as the lack of adequately trained staff to operate specialised equipment.
The team led by the registrar of HEFRA, Dr. Phillip Banor spent more than an hour, trying to evacuate hospital staff and patients on admission at the Obengfo hospital, famous for body- part enhancement surgeries. This is after it was established that the hospital has been operating without license for the past five years.
Dr Obengfo insisted he had the license to operate but was unable to produce it, which resulted in a banter with Dr. Banor after which the police intervened to lock up the facility.
Dr Obengfo insisted that he cannot vacate the hospital because the facility also serves as his residence.
Some patients who were on admission also refused to vacate the facility, leaving authorities with no option but to lock up the facility. One patient on admission, who spoke off record, said she has spent close to ¢70,000.00 for buttocks enhancement, reason why she cannot immediately leave the hospital.
Registrar for HEFRA, Dr. Philip Banor, said the agency has engaged management of all the health facilities closed down on at least three occasions in the past six months to ensure they get the proper documentation but they refused.
He said, “henceforth HEFRA will continue to crack the whip on such facilities across the country.”
Dr. Philip Banor said HEFRA will conduct similar operations in other parts of the country soon.
Story by Nathaniel Nartey.