Since its inception, the Lagos State Government has registered over 1,014,826 individuals in its Health Insurance Scheme, known as Ilera-Eko.
Wakadaily learnt that,Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Health Management Agency, revealed this information . The agency has broadened its care coverage to encompass the vulnerable population. The state’s health insurance program, established as law in May 2015, began operations officially in December 2018.
The Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS) provides compulsory health insurance for all residents, including the less privileged, economically challenged, both public and private sector workers, self-employed individuals, and the jobless.
Zamba emphasized the extensive augmentation of the scheme, now incorporating 448 hospitals compared to the initial 57, guaranteeing comprehensive healthcare access throughout all 20 local government areas in the state.
The LASHMA boss mentioned, “We currently have over one million lives on the scheme. It is about 1,014, 826 lives as of the 30th of April, 2024 and it will continue to grow.
“We have a variety of mix of the population. We have the formal sector which are public servants and the vulnerable because Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has given us one percent of the equity fund. He has made it a first-line charge so that we can continue to enrol people and expand the coverage of care.
“We have quite a significant population of the vulnerable. Also, we have the general public even within the informal sector on the scheme.”
The PS stated the government was working to improve the quality of services in the state health facilities.
“Since the commencement of the Ilera Eko Social Health Plan, we have taken actionable steps towards improving healthcare service delivery on the Scheme.
“The agency has increased health benefits on the Ilera Eko plan, and various provider improvement initiatives are also being implemented just to ensure all our customers enjoy quality health services”, she mentioned.
Zamba emphasized that the Lagos State health insurance scheme caters to all residents of the state, not exclusively civil servants.
She pinpoint, “The administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made the health sector a focal point of his administration and this is one of the initiatives in the health sector which is to ensure accessibility of healthcare to all the residents.
“Recently the agency Launched a diaspora plan, a novel initiative in the Nigerian Social Health Insurance space.”
