By Chris Chikelue
Anambra State Government has called out Beauty salon, SPA operators, Cosmetology Centres and operators of Wellness Facilities in the state to stop handling health related matters or risk prosecution.
This warning was contained in a release titled, ‘Illegal Practice of Health-related Services, Including Dental Procedures by Non-Medical Establishments’, from the Ministry of Health, Anambra State and signed by the Commissioner, Dr. Afam Obidike.
According to the release, “the Anambra State Ministry of Health, under the proactive and reform-driven leadership of His Excellency, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, and the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike wish to bring to the attention of the general public, operators of beauty salons, spa facilities, and similar establishments, the urgent need to desist from engaging in unauthorized medical and dental services within the state.
“The announcement is in alignment with the enforcement provisions of the Anambra State Health Facilities Accreditation and Monitoring Agency (ASHEFAMA) Law of 2023 which mandates the regulation, accreditation, monitoring and quality assurance of all health required activities conducted within Anambra State’’.
The release, then, highlighted grey areas of practices being conducted by these Beauty shops and Wellness Facilities. It says, “it has come to the attention of the Ministry that an increasing number of beauty salons, cosmetology clinics and wellness Centres across Anambra State are conducting unauthorized medical procedures, including but not limited to:
“Teeth whitening, scaling, veneers, braces, and other dental procedures; intravenous (IV) drips for beauty, energy boosts or skin lightening; laser treatments and body contouring involving invasive technologies; non-medical administration of injectable or intravenous agents; micro-needling, chemical peels and invasive skin rejuvenation treatments.
“These practices are being carried out without proper registration, certification or medical oversight thereby exposing unsuspecting clients to potentially grave health risks, including blood borne infections, allergic reactions, unregistered drug exposure and complications from unsafe procedures’’.
The release, then, outlined the stipulations of the ASHEFAMA mandate and the State Obligation, which empowers the Ministry of Health to act against unauthorized persons cum facilities who are taking up and conducting these personal health practices without the authorizations of the Ministry of Health.
“The ASHEFAMA Law empowers the Ministry to: Register, accredit and monitor all health facilities – public, faith based or private within the state; ensure the safety, competence; professionalism of all providers offering health-related services and prevent quackery and eliminate illegal medical practices and safeguarding public health through structured inspections, enforcement actions and public awareness’’.
The release however outlined the Penalties for Non-Compliance to the ASHEFAMA Law, they are, “failure to comply with the directive shall attract strict enforcement measures which includes the immediate sealing and closure of the offending establishment.
Others are, the confiscation of the instruments and products used in the unauthorized services; the public blacklisting and naming of the defaulting facilities and the Legal prosecution as provided under the ASHEFAMA Law and other extant laws governing public health and safety.
The release empowered members of the public to report airing operators and to make enquiries on clarifications on the release approved beauty shops in the state through various phone numbers such as emergency – 08057555442; regulatory Complaints – 09135169905 and for Anonymous tips (Whistleblower line) 07013197263.
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