BENIN CITY — A Tripod Times special investigation has uncovered details behind the Edo State Government’s immediate closure of Jess Royal Hospital, following shocking revelations that the facility operated illegally for over a decade.
The enforcement sweep, spearheaded by the Edo State Healthcare Regulation and Monitoring Agency (EDOHERMA), exposed severe regulatory breaches, structural decay, and hazardous hygiene failures at the Benin City premises.
The discovery came to light during an agency monitoring exercise at an orphanage operating within the same building.
A subsequent deep-dive inspection by EDOHERMA’s Medical Services Department revealed an appalling clinical environment. Monitoring teams documented dilapidated ward equipment, cobweb-infested treatment rooms, deteriorated mattresses, and a total lack of emergency response infrastructure.
In a defensive bid, the facility’s operator claimed that active membership with the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP) legitimized his practice.
However, EDOHERMA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Adesuwa Urhoghide-Edigin, firmly dismissed the defense. She clarified to reporters that private association registration can never substitute statutory government licensing.
Tripod Times tracking reveals that the agency has suspended all medical activities at the premises and slammed the owners with a strict 14-day ultimatum. The operators must fully rectify all infrastructural deficits and finalize legal licensing protocols before reopening.
State regulators reiterated that public safety remains non-negotiable, warning that the clinic will remain sealed until total compliance is verified.
