Ho health facilities shut down over safety failures; what patients need to know

The Allied Health Professions Council has ordered the closure of six health facilities across the Ho Zonal Area for operating without meeting Ghana's basic regulatory and safety standards. The facilities—Grace Diagnostic Center, Eagles Lancet and Imaging Center, RD Access Laboratories, Elysa Diagnostic, Professional Eye Care and Bestlab Diagnostic—were found to be non-compliant during routine compliance inspections designed to protect public health.

The most serious deficiency identified was the absence of approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) at multiple sites. These documented protocols are essential safeguards that establish how staff should deliver services, operate medical equipment, handle patient data, and respond to emergencies. Without them, regulators have no way to verify whether facilities are following safe practices.

The safety risk to patients

Speaking to Citi FM, Professor Issahaku Shirazu, Registrar of the Allied Health Professions Council, highlighted the patient safety implications of these breaches. "We cannot guarantee patient safety because we don't know what or which equipment you're using," he stated, underscoring why the Council took enforcement action.

The closure of diagnostic centres is particularly significant because these facilities often conduct critical tests—blood work, imaging, eye examinations—that inform medical diagnoses and treatment decisions. If equipment is not properly maintained, calibrated, or operated according to established protocols, test results may be inaccurate, leading patients to receive incorrect or delayed treatment.

Beyond equipment concerns, the absence of SOPs suggests gaps in infection control practices, patient record management, staff qualifications verification, and quality assurance processes. These failures compound the risk that patients face when seeking care at non-compliant facilities.

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghana's healthcare system relies heavily on allied health professionals and diagnostic facilities to support primary care, specialist services, and emergency response. When these facilities operate without proper oversight, it undermines public trust in the entire system and exposes vulnerable patients to preventable harm.

The Allied Health Professions Council's enforcement action reflects a broader regulatory effort to strengthen healthcare quality across Ghana. Unregulated or poorly regulated health facilities have long been a challenge, particularly in regional areas where oversight capacity is limited. This Ho inspection demonstrates that the Council is actively working to close this gap.

For patients in the Ho area, the closures mean they will need to seek diagnostic services from compliant facilities, which may require travel. However, this disruption is preferable to continuing to use unsafe services. The Council has committed to supporting the affected practitioners to develop and implement the required protocols, signalling a rehabilitative rather than purely punitive approach.

Next steps and recovery

Professor Shirazu indicated that the Council would work with practitioners to help them meet regulatory standards before allowing facilities to reopen. This suggests the closures are temporary, conditional on compliance improvements. Facilities will need to demonstrate they have documented SOPs, properly maintained equipment, trained staff, and systems for quality assurance before the Council lifts the closure orders.

The Ho compliance exercise is part of a larger oversight programme aimed at strengthening allied health facilities nationwide. As Ghana continues to develop its healthcare infrastructure and regulatory framework, such inspections are critical to ensuring that expanding access to care does not come at the cost of safety or quality.