The Executive Secretary, Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), Dr. Abiola Idowu, has disclosed that the Agency is set to introduce a Health Facility Inspection Tool called ‘HealthFIT’ to enhance effective and efficient inspection and monitoring of health facilities in the State.

Idowu, who made the disclosure on Friday at a training programme organised by the Agency, in collaboration with PharmAccess Foundation, explained that the android-based mobile application is designed to facilitate effective monitoring and inspection of health facilities across the State, adding that the pilot scheme for the mobile app commences immediately after the training and will run for two weeks.

She stated that some officers in the Agency have been selected to test-run the mobile application during the daily monitoring and inspection activities of the Agency, noting that “they are expected to record their observations on its functionality and efficiency”.

The Executive Secretary explained further that at the end of the pilot stage, a committee comprising of the field officers will be constituted to review the features and functions of the app with a view to upgrading its effectiveness and efficiency.

Highlighting the features of the mobile tool, Idowu stated that the app supports geographical location mapping, collates data on quality service delivery and includes a web interface for users’ access with dashboards highlighting defined indicators and pre-specified analysis.

She expressed confidence that when the application is fully operational, healthcare facility monitors and inspectors in the State will have the benefits of turning-in credible and objective reports with faster and seamless operations.

On the benefits of the training she said was for Facility Monitors, Inspectors, Administrative, Public Affairs and ICT officers, the Executive Secretary affirmed that the one-day training will go a long way in enhancing staff productivity as well as improving the quality of its services to the public.

She expressed her gratitude to the Foundation for supporting the training and reiterated the commitment of the Agency in achieving the vision of the present administration in bolstering the health and well-being of the citizenry.

In her remarks, Dr. Anireh Asuma, representative of PharmAccess at the event, stated that e-HEFAMAA is an electronic registration and renewal platform which serves a dual purpose of a website for sourcing information about the programmes and activities of HEFAMAA and a portal for submission, processing and renewal of registration applications as well as a repository of registered health facilities in Lagos.

“The HEFAMAA e-platform is a website for sourcing information about the programmes and activities of the Agency as well as a portal for submission and processing of applications for registration and renewal”, she stated.

She informed that when the platform commenced operations on 1st July, 2019, new facilities embraced it immediately while existing ones began using it in January 2020.