Edo agency seals clinic, warns against training of auxiliary nurses
FNA NEWS, 31st of August 2026
EDOHERMA says health facilities found training auxiliary nurses in Edo State will face sanctions as it steps up regulation of private healthcare facilities.
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The Edo State Healthcare Regulation and Monitoring Agency (EDOHERMA) has sealed a health facility in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area over alleged regulatory violations, including the training of auxiliary nurses.
The agency sealed Divine Blessing Basic Health Clinic, located on Okunwague Street, off Upper Sokponba Road, following an inspection that identified concerns including the absence of qualified medical personnel, poor infection prevention and control practices and the provision of healthcare services without evidence of valid regulatory authorisation.
According to EDOHERMA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Adesuwa Urhoghide, the facility was providing general outpatient and antenatal services when inspectors carried out the assessment.
The agency directed the facility’s management to begin the registration process with EDOHERMA, correct the identified deficiencies and stop training auxiliary nurses before it can be considered for reopening.
Another Edo hospital investigated
In a separate investigation, EDOHERMA visited Rhemalite Spring Hospital in Egor Local Government Area following a complaint about the training of auxiliary nurses.
The agency said photographic evidence presented during the investigation showed the facility’s matron presenting training certificates to people undergoing auxiliary nursing training.
The hospital denied conducting the training but, according to EDOHERMA, acknowledged that its management knew the practice was wrong.
The facility was subsequently issued a verbal warning and directed to commence revalidation with the agency. It was also told to ensure that its outdoor signage accurately reflects only the services it currently provides.
Why the warning matters
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EDOHERMA’s position reflects a wider regulatory concern around unapproved training and the use of unqualified personnel in healthcare.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria is the statutory body responsible for regulating nursing and midwifery education and practice nationally. The Council maintains registers of qualified nurses and midwives, accredits nursing training institutions and issues professional practising licences.
The NMCN currently lists approved nursing, midwifery and nursing-science training institutions across Nigeria. It also states that approved programmes include General Nursing, Community Nursing, Midwifery and several post-basic nursing programmes.
This distinction is important for prospective students. A certificate obtained from a private facility does not, by itself, make someone a registered nurse or confer professional authority to practise as one. Anyone considering nursing training should verify that the programme and institution are recognised by the appropriate regulatory authorities.
The issue is not new. Nursing stakeholders in Edo State have previously called for stronger action against quackery and warned private healthcare facilities against using their premises to train auxiliary nurses.
In 2024, health professionals also warned that the informal training of auxiliary nurses by private healthcare facilities could contribute to quackery, stressing the importance of qualified personnel and regulatory oversight.
EDOHERMA CEO Dr Urhoghide has now warned that health facilities operating under the state’s regulatory framework that are found training auxiliary nurses will face sanctions.
She also urged healthcare facility owners to employ appropriately qualified and professionally licensed personnel and to operate strictly within their approved scope of services.
For people seeking a career in nursing, the development is a reminder to verify the accreditation and regulatory status of any institution before paying for a nursing programme or accepting a certificate.
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Fellow Nurses Africa is the independent voice of African nursing, we educate, inform and support nurses across Africa.
Durowoju Abisola is a registered nurse, nurse writer and On-Air Correspondent at Fellow Nurses Africa (FNA), passionate about nursing leadership, health education and advocacy.
Through journalism, storytelling and content creation, she amplifies important conversations around nursing, healthcare and the experiences of nurses in Nigeria. She is committed to using her voice and professional knowledge to educate the public, challenge misconceptions and inspire the next generation of nurses.
