Top 10 health questions Americans searched for on Google

Snoring

Jacqueline Howard, CNN, writes that in 2023, Google users in the United States wanted to know more about strep throat, how to lower cholesterol and what helps with bloating.

Those were just some of the top-trending health-related questions searched on Google in the United States from January 1 to November 27, according to the technology company.

“The data reflects top trending searches, which means the ‘trending’ queries are the searches that had a high spike in traffic over a sustained period in 2023 as compared to 2022,” Google spokesperson Sarah Armstrong said in an email.

I think many people worldwide have similar questions and are seeking solutions from experts. Have a good read.

Covid-19: HEFAMAA Says Renewal And Registration Of New Facilities Strictly Online … Urges Healthcare Facilities To Renew Annual Registration.

The Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, HEFAMAA, has said that application for registration of facilities and renewal of certificates shall strictly be done online.

Speaking yesterday in her office at Plot 6, Alhaja Ashabi Cole Street, Alausa, Ikeja, the Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr Abiola Idowu explained that the decision was taken to optimize the use of the hefamaa e-platform which she said was developed to ease the process of registration by the users and give facility owners and the public the opportunity to interface with the agency.

She advised health providers who want to register their facilities or renew their certificates to log on to the official website of the Agency for necessary instructions adding that any facility that fails to renew its license between 1^st of January and 31^st of March 2021 will be sanctioned accordingly as she said, "it means such facilities are operating illegally."

She observed that the usage of the e-portal will go a long way in reducing the number of visitors to the Agency which she said is in tandem with the measures put in place by the Government to contain the spread of COVID-19.

She further explained that the Agency will no longer issue Assessment Form at its office stressing that service providers should generate invoices online for bank payment.

 “The Agency will no longer issue Assessment Form; therefore, we urge facility owners to generate the invoice for payment after uploading all the necessary documents to the portal," she explained.

Idowu, who emphasized the need to upload tellers generated after making the full payment at designated banks to the portal, also stated that the profile details used for processing 2020 renewal/registration are still valid.

She however charged facility operators in the State to improve the quality of healthcare services they provide to the citizens to actualize the Babajide Sanwo-Olu T.H.E.M.E.S Strategic Development Agenda.

For enquiries and to report facilities engaging in unprofessional conducts, she advised the public to call the Agency’s dedicated phone numbers including 09015637023, 09057273396, 09038795500 and 08172704228.

 

 

Muyideen Ayokunle Uthman

Wednesday, 20^th January 2021

Head, Public Affairs

HEFAMAA

HEFAMAA Holds Stakeholders’ Session To Develop A 5-Year Strategic Plan: Promises to Strengthen Healthcare Delivery

 L-R: Board Member, Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, Mr. Olurotimi Awojide; Executive Secretary, Dr. Abiola Idowu; State Team Lead for Strategic Purchasing, Family Planning Project, Dr. Olajide Sobande and Board Member, HEFAMAA, Mr. Biyi Kufo at the opening of a stakeholders' Session on the Development of HEFAMAA's five-year Strategic Plan at Jubilee Chalets, Oke-Oyinbo Epe, Lagos. 

                            

The Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, HEFAMAA has concluded a 3-day stakeholder session on the development of a 5-year strategic plan to improve the quality of healthcare delivery to the citizenry.

Speaking on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of the conference held at Jubilee Chalets, Epe, the Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr. Abiola Idowu disclosed that the primary aim of the session is to drive the relevant conversations and reach the right consensus to enable the Agency re-strategize to achieve its strategic mandate.

She further explained that the session will enable the Agency review its performance against expectations of key stakeholders and leading practice, discuss strategic challenges confronting it and articulate actionable solutions to address them in the present and future even as she added, “ the stakeholder’s session will help the Agency revalidate and reach a consensus on the strategic direction, agree on the key anchors for growth over the planning horizon as well as the key strategies to unlock them.”

“As we envision where we want to be in the next five years, we are taking steps to reposition HEFAMAA in order to improve the quality of services rendered to our clients and the general public. This is why we are focusing on critical areas such as leveraging technology to provide efficient services, training and retraining of HEFAMAA staff and facility operators, increasing community participation and health education as well as increasing our engagements with stakeholders and the general public,” she explained.

While appreciating the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu for supporting the stakeholder session Idowu noted that his actions confirm that he is passionate about the health and wellbeing of the citizenry.

She however disclosed that the Agency is faced with some challenges including the shortage of manpower and vehicles to carry out the daily monitoring and inspection of health facilities in the State adding that the current human resource capacity of the Agency is inadequate to carry out the mandate efficiently.

“Few of the challenges we are currently facing include shortage of human resource although the State Government has approved that we franchise our monitoring activities to reputable organisations so that we can focus on accreditation and other responsibilities of the Agency.

We also need more vehicles to be able to visit health facilities in the State at least twice a year. It should be noted that HEFAMAA has registered over 4,000 public and private health facilities and more are still being registered. Our mandate is to accredit and license as well as monitor and inspect all the health facilities to ensure they comply with the set standards,” she explained.

The Executive Secretary also commended Professor Akin Abayomi, the State’s Commissioner for Health and the entire leadership of the Ministry for their unwavering support for the Agency’s programmes and activities.

In her welcome remarks, Chairman HEFAMAA Board, Dr. Yemisi Solanke Koya emphasized the significance of crafting a strategic plan for the Agency which she believed will go a long way in assisting it to achieve its mandate.

“We cannot accomplish our mandate without a strategy, so also we cannot operate without strategic thinking and planning,” she opined.

The Chairman however urged participants to contribute meaningfully to the discussion to engender a robust strategic plan that will point the way forward for the Agency in the next five years.

One of the participants, Mrs. Ope Oduwale commended the State Government for approving the Stakeholders session noting that it will go a long way in improving the quality of services HEFAMAA renders to the people.

In his own words, State Team Lead for Strategic Purchasing for Family Planning Project, Health Systems Consult Limited, Dr. Olajide Sobande observed that the outcome of the conference will boost the capacity of HEFAMAA in ensuring that healthcare facilities in the State provide effective, safe, timely, and people-centered services.

Highlights of the conference include presentations on the Overview of the Lagos State Health Sector; Regulation as a Tool for Quality Healthcare Delivery; Leading Practice Review; Key Findings from the Current State Review; The Journey Ahead- Visioning for HEFAMAA amongst others.

The event was well attended by Board members of HEFAMAA, Partners, Chairmen and members of professional associations and other stakeholders.

 

 

 

 

HEFAMAA Promises Improved Sevice Delivery As it Moves to a New Office.

 The Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, HEFAMAA has moved to a new office located at Plot 6, Alhaja Ashabi Cole Street, TISCO Plaza, CBD, Alausa, Ikeja. 

 

The Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr. Abiola Idowu who disclosed this in her office recently explained that the move will enhance staff productivity and quality of services to the citizenry.

She noted that the new office offers more space and visibility which according to her will allow the team to work efficiently adding, “We look at this new location as the start of another chapter in our history. I hope the office will boost our visibility and increase productivity,”

She explained that the move is long overdue as according to her, the agency has been in need of adequate space to accommodate its staff and other paraphernalia of office.

‘’We are excited about our new office located in a prime area. It is spacious, comfortable and welcoming,” she stated.

While explaining that the Agency has since inception been operating in the Ministry of health which is about three miles away from the new office, Idowu noted that a number of achievements were recorded while there.

 She however hopes that the new office will offer the Agency opportunities to record more feats.

She expressed gratitude and appreciation to the Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu for graciously approving the movement, “this is a confirmation that Mr. Governor is passionate about the health and wellbeing of the citizenry,” she emphasized.

 In the same vein, Idowu commended Professor Akin Abayomi, State’s Commissioner for Health and the entire leadership of the Ministry for their unwavering support of the Agency’s programmes and activities.

She reinstated the commitment of the Agency to continue delivering on its mandate of registering, inspecting and monitoring all health facilities across the State in an effort to achieve the vision of the present administration in improving the quality of healthcare delivery in the State.

While regretting the inconveniences clients and members of the public may encounter as a result of the movement, the Executive Secretary assured that the Agency will strive to satisfy them while also imploring them to be vigilant and report operators of health facilities engaging in unprofessional conducts.

 She however stated that all other official correspondence of the agency remains the same.

 

 

Lagos Shuts 30 Health Facilities for Non-Compliance with Regulatory Standards

No fewer than 30 health facilities across the State were sealed in the months of July and August by the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agencies, HEFAMAA for non-compliance with regulatory standards. 

The Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr. Abiola Idowu who disclosed this today, in her office at the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, explained that the facilities were shut down for infractions ranging from quackery, operating beyond schedule, lack of qualified medical personnel to non-registration of facilities and lack of basic equipment.

Idowu, however, stated that 5 facilities were reopened in the month of July having complied with the set standards. She explained further that facilities sealed can be reopened after all standards and instructions have been effected and approval for reopening granted by the Honourable Commissioner.

She affirmed that the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration is committed to battling quackery and putting a halt to the ugly trend of having unqualified personnel work in health facilities adding that the Agency will continue to insist that the environment for the delivery of medical care should be suitable for the promotion and maintenance of good health. She therefore urged all health facility operators to abide strictly by the standards to avoid being sanctioned.

“The State Government will not tolerate any form of illegal health practices in the State because such acts could jeopardize people’s health and safety,” she warned.

She urged the public to continue cooperating and supporting the State government in its fight against quackery and illegal operation of facilities by reporting those behind such acts to the Agency to safeguard the health and well-being of the citizenry.

She further advised the populace to be cautious and desist from patronizing any health care provider without its logo or proof of registration as well as report any suspicious health care facility to the Agency.

Advising owners and operators of health facilities in the State, the Executive Secretary tasked them to ensure they complete their registration with the Agency, collect the official logo and display it at a visible position in their facilities where members of the public can see.

Hefamaa Urges Healthcare Facilities To Renew Annual Registration

Dr. Abiola Idowu, Executive Secretary, Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, HEFAMAA.

The Executive Secretary, Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, HEFAMAA, Dr. Abiola Idowu has urged health facilities yet to complete the renewal of their online registration with the Agency to do so in order to avoid being sanctioned.

Idowu, who gave the advice on Wednesday at the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja disclosed that the Agency, at its Board meeting in March 2020 decided to shift the deadline for the online renewal of registration from the initial date of 31^st, March 2020 to 31^st July 2020 as well as put on hold the increment in the registration renewal fee due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant economic impact on business owners.

She explained that all healthcare facilities in the State are required by law to register with the Agency and renew their registration annually, adding that any facility that fails to renew its license within the stipulated period is operating illegally and will be sanctioned accordingly.

“If a facility does not renew its registration within the stipulated period, it means it is operating illegally and will be sanctioned,” she stated.

The Executive Secretary hinted that the e-platform created by the State government is aimed at helping facility owners to renew their licenses online to reduce physical contact during the Coronavirus pandemic.

She, therefore, enjoined owners of such facilities across the State to take advantage of the HEFAMAA e-portal to complete their registration renewal online and keep abreast of the programmes and activities of the Agency.

“Owners and operators of health facilities in the State are to ensure they complete their registration with HEFAMAA, collect the agency’s logo and display them at a position in their facilities where members of the public can see them,” she advised.

She assured that the Agency will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that operators of health facilities in the State and the public at large are in possession of the right information to achieve the vision of the present administration in delivering quality healthcare services.