The Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA) has shut down 18 health facilities across the Ashanti Region for failing to meet the required operational standards.
The two-day enforcement exercise, conducted in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, forms part of HeFRA’s mandate to ensure compliance and maintain order in the country’s healthcare system.
According to the agency, most of the affected facilities were unregistered, unlicensed, and had been operating illegally for several years, posing serious risks to public health.
Among those closed on Monday were RASHBILL Eyecare, ANKHOR Diagnostics, Guinness Ghana Clinic — which had been operating without a licence since 2019 — and Allen Urological and Surgical Centre (Allen Clinic). Others included Florence’s Maternity Home (unlicensed since 2019), Exquisite Medical Imaging and Health Centre, Paradise Clinic (Homecare for the Elderly), and Michmit Clinic and Maternity Home.
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On Tuesday, additional closures were carried out at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Clinic — the only public facility affected — as well as SAMRID Eye Clinic, Strong Eye Care, Radiant Eyen, and Daniscan Diagnostic Centre. The exercise also affected Crystal Vision Eye Centre, Precision Diagnostic Centre, BSAM Med Lab, BENMAS Laboratory, and MATFLEX Physiotherapy Clinic.
Legal Basis
Under the Health Institutions and Facilities Act, 2011 (Act 829), HeFRA is empowered to close down any health facility that fails to meet established standards or operate without a valid licence. The law prohibits any individual or entity from running a health facility without proper authorization from the agency.
Enforcement Actions
During the operation, officials conducted unannounced inspections, sealing off facilities found to be operating below acceptable standards. The Guinness Ghana Clinic at Ahinsan was closed after failing to renew its operational licence since 2019, while the long-operating KMA Clinic was also shut down for lacking a valid licence — a clear breach of the law.
HeFRA’s Position
Speaking to the media, HeFRA’s Head of Public Relations, Christabel Eyram Nuhoho, reiterated that the agency is mandated to regulate both public and private health facilities nationwide.
She emphasized that any facility operating without a licence risks closure, adding that HeFRA had been engaging the KMA Clinic for years without compliance. “We do not take pleasure in shutting down these facilities, as we recognize the essential services they provide. However, public safety must come first,” she said.
Ensuring Quality Healthcare
Dr. Agyemang Badu, a member of the enforcement team, stated that the exercise aims to protect patients by ensuring that healthcare services are delivered in properly regulated facilities.
“We expect that operators will adhere to the law by employing qualified personnel, acquiring the necessary licences, and renewing them promptly,” he stressed.
HeFRA says it will continue its nationwide enforcement campaign to promote quality, safe, and lawful healthcare delivery in Ghana.
Story By: Afia Ohenewaa Akyerem