The Lagos State Government has unveiled a Clinical Governance Framework designed to ensure accountability, continuous quality improvement, and patient-centred care across all public health facilities in the State.
EpeInsights reports that the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi, delivered a presentation titled “Lagos State Ministry of Health Clinical Governance” at the Health Policy Group Meeting held on Friday, October 24, 2025, at the Ministry of Health Conference Room, Alausa, Ikeja.
Ogunyemi said the system would institutionalize consistent service standards and safeguard patient safety across the Lagos health sector.
According to Dr. Ogunyemi, the Clinical Governance Framework is anchored on five key pillars—patient safety, quality assurance, effective leadership, information management, and staff training and development, all of which place the patient at the centre of care delivery.
She emphasized that strong and transparent leadership structures are vital for sustaining accountability and promoting a culture of excellence throughout the health system.
“Clinical governance must thrive on clearly defined leadership and teamwork that promote accountability, learning, and improvement,” she noted.
Highlighting the quality assurance component, Dr. Ogunyemi urged health agencies to develop measurable standards, conduct regular audits and establish non-punitive incident and complaint reporting systems to encourage learning rather than blame.
“It should be seen as a learning process, not a blame exercise,” she said, stressing the need for continuous improvement and staff engagement in service enhancement.
She identified patient safety as the foremost priority of the framework, calling for health institutions to maintain safe environments for both patients and workers.
She further encouraged active patient participation in treatment decisions, noting that “patients should be respected, well-informed, and involved in decision-making about their care.”
On capacity building, the Special Adviser advocated sustained staff training and professional development to strengthen skills, promote best practices and improve health outcomes.
She also underscored the importance of optimizing information management systems to collect and analyze data for informed decision-making and risk management.
While acknowledging challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited funding, and staff shortages, Dr. Ogunyemi reaffirmed the State Government’s determination to overcome them.
“Together, we can establish a robust clinical governance system that improves the quality and safety of healthcare services in Lagos,” she assured.
The presentation also highlighted the contributions of regulatory and service agencies such as the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) and the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), both of which are already implementing elements of the clinical governance model to promote compliance and expand access to quality healthcare.
