How to Start a Hospital in Nigeria

The establishing and running of hospitals in Nigeria are stringently regulated by the government agencies. The following are some measures and requirements for setting up a clinic in Nigeria:

Primarily, you must start by registering with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). After achieving the registration status with the CAC, registering with the Federal Ministry of Health is also required. Having the expected qualifications that will give you the legal powers to run a Hospital. It is a very serious crime to operate a Hospital in Nigeria without performing all the need accreditations. The establishing and managing of Hospitals in Nigeria is strictly regulated by the government.

In Nigeria, there are organizations that have been set up to control the activities of private Hospitals inside each state. These organizations are set up to guarantee that Hospitals adhere to a laid down model and to prevent the increase of quacks.

Lagos State, has the State Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) which carries out this function, and before anyone can manage a health facility in the state, he/she must be listed with HEFAMAA. HEFAMAA demands that any Hospital must meet the following before it can be registered;

• The medical practitioner in command must be sufficiently qualified in the discipline of medicine.
• Have qualified and registered nursing staff with a qualified superintendent to oversee them
• A Hospital base accepted by the authority
• Proper and satisfactory equipment
• Sufficient number of beds for inpatients
• If the Hospital is involved in the compounding of drugs, a qualified and registered pharmacist listed with the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) must be hired.

Accompanying the above-listed provisions, the following documents have to be presented:

• Passport sized photos of the proprietor and medical administrator
• Certification of registration as a medical practitioner
• Photocopy of proof of current practising licence of all physicians, midwives and nurses in the facility
• Staff list
• Access chart of how to get to the Hospital
• Description of the Hospital with measurements in metres and respective labels
• Certifications and qualifications of doctors, nurses and midwives from college/university

These are the conditions for the registration of a Hospital by to the Lagos State government.The provisions in other states might be comparable, you will need to research on the specifications that are particular to the state where you intend to build your Hospital.

Location

The regulating organization will also expect you to pick a proper neighbourhood for the Hospital. While they will only define the requirements for the structure, the exact location of your Hospital is up to you.

Like any other institution, the location of your Hospital goes a long way in guaranteeing success of the hospital. The most significant factor you have to examine is accessibility. When setting up a practice in Nigeria, finding a strategic location is important. This means that your hospital must be readily approachable to the greater population, especially during emergencies.

Finance plays an important role when starting up a hospital considering the fact that the kind of equipment you have in mind won’t come cheap.

Make sure that pieces of equipment are up-to-date and safe. You can negotiate or coordinate with suppliers of facilities and other hospitals need.

For any hospital to meet the grade, it must be up to date in having the latest technology in terms of imaging tools and lab equipment, as the society becomes more sophisticated, the demand for the best healthcare service for the Nigerian populace increases.

Management and Human Resources

This is one of the areas which make or break hospitals in Nigeria. Coordinating with the organizations in your area especially with the medical associations will give you more knowledge on how you can run your business.

• Employ the Right Staff

Professionals that are well-trained, legally licensed and knowledgeable should be hired and ensuring that they come with a clean background. Maintaining the reputation of hospitals is very important.

The value of retaining the right staff cannot be overemphasized. The regulating organizations expect that only qualified professionals are hired to operate in your Hospital. Scrutinizing the documents of doctors and nurses to guarantee you do not break the law controlling health establishments. Hiring a hospital administrator to provide the day to day administrative duties is also advisable.

Conclusion

A thorough understanding of the above-listed steps will put you on a good footing to go about starting your own Hospital. However, it will pay to carry out your own research to know the specific requirement in your locality