The Lagos State Government has cautioned private medical practitioners against handling illnesses and medical conditions beyond their professional expertise, urging them to refer patients to qualified specialists to prevent avoidable complications and deaths.

The Executive Secretary of the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), Dr Victoria Egunjobi, gave the warning on Monday, November 9, 2026, during a meeting with the newly inaugurated executives of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), Lagos State chapter.

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Egunjobi said doctors must understand the limits of their professional training and seek specialist intervention whenever a patient’s condition requires expertise they do not possess.

She also urged members of the association to support the state government’s efforts to eliminate medical quackery by reporting unqualified practitioners and facilities operating outside approved standards.

According to her, effective collaboration between healthcare providers and regulatory authorities is necessary to improve accountability and protect patients from unsafe medical practices.

The warning comes amid renewed efforts by the state to strengthen regulation of private healthcare facilities, which play an important role in providing medical services to residents.

Under the regulatory framework, private health facilities are expected to obtain the necessary registration, maintain professional standards and operate within the scope of services approved by the relevant authorities.

At the meeting, the chairman of the association’s Lagos State chapter, Dr Olusola Ogunleye, explained that the newly inaugurated executive committee visited HEFAMAA to establish areas of cooperation and discuss challenges affecting private medical practitioners.

Ogunleye highlighted concerns about multiple taxation, limited access to professional training and capacity-building programmes, and a proposal to make membership of the association a condition for registering private health facilities with HEFAMAA.

She also appealed for a more straightforward facility registration process and standardised inspection procedures.

On environmental compliance, she called for discussions with the Lagos State Waste Management Authority to harmonise waste management charges imposed on private healthcare providers.

Responding to the concerns, Egunjobi said the issues raised would be considered but emphasised that maintaining an orderly healthcare system and protecting patients remained the agency’s foremost responsibilities.

She encouraged medical practitioners to embrace self-regulation and report professional misconduct, stressing that healthcare providers must take responsibility for maintaining standards within the industry.

The agency’s Director of Monitoring and Inspection, Dr Ibom A. Godswill, and Director of Research and Statistics, Dr Olonire Olorunfemi, also reminded practitioners to register their facilities before commencing operations and renew their licences when due.

They further urged compliance with established regulatory requirements, including the standards governing healthcare facility operations.

The engagement reflects the need for stronger cooperation between regulators and private medical practitioners as Lagos seeks to address unsafe medical practices and improve public confidence in healthcare delivery.

For patients, the ability of doctors to recognise when specialist attention is required can be crucial to receiving appropriate treatment.