The Chief Executive Officer of the Edo State Health Regulation and Monitoring Agency (EDOHERMA), Adesuwa Urhoghide-Edigin, has stated that effective health regulation must begin with top government institutions setting the standard for compliance across all levels of healthcare delivery in the state.
She made this known during an on-the-spot assessment of a medical outreach programme held at Government House, organised by the Nigeria Dental Association (NDA) in collaboration with the Government House Clinic, as part of activities marking the 2026 World Oral Health Day themed “A Healthy Mouth is a Healthy Life.”
Urhoghide-Edigin explained that EDOHERMA deliberately commenced the regulation of health outreaches from the Government House to demonstrate that no institution or individual is exempt from due process.
“If an outreach at the Government House requires proper approval and regulatory oversight, then no individual or organisation has an excuse not to follow due process,” she said.
She urged health professionals and facility owners to update their operational licences and advised organisers of medical outreaches to obtain necessary approvals from EDOHERMA, warning that defaulters would face sanctions in line with extant laws.
The CEO also called on stakeholders to support the administration of Monday Okpebholo in its fight against quackery in the health sector, stressing that regulation is not punitive but essential for maintaining standards and safeguarding lives.
Also speaking, EDOHERMA’s Director of Dental Services and Vice Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the NDA, Lucky Inanoremhe, noted that World Oral Health Day, observed annually on March 20, is aimed at raising awareness about proper oral hygiene and preventive care practices.
He disclosed that more than 150 patients were screened and treated during the outreach, which included procedures such as scaling and polishing, tooth extractions, and the provision of removable partial dentures, with key stakeholders in attendance, including Dennis Idahosa, Cyril Oshiomole, Andrew Iyamu, and Joan Enabulele.
