Lagos govt mandates health insurance for residents

The Lagos State government has said that health insurance is compulsory for all residents of the state regardless of their socio-economic status.

The Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, disclosed this during the 2022 Ilera Eko Day organised by the Lagos State Health Management Agency. 

In his keynote address at the event which witnessed the unveiling of the Ilera Eko Service Charter, Ilera Eko Enrollee Handbook, and Bill of rights, Muri-Okunola said the state government was determined to make healthcare accessible to all residents.  

“Lagos State health insurance plan is not meant for only civil servants but for every resident of the state. 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. 

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“It is meant for every resident irrespective of socio-economic status and circumstances. The bill of rights and enrollee handbook will let the beneficiaries know their rights and responsibilities when they are accessing healthcare.

“Ilera Eko is the Social Health Insurance of Lagos State backed by the Lagos State Health Scheme Law of 2015 which makes it compulsory for all residents of Lagos state to have health insurance, regardless of their socio-economic status, regardless of your ethnicity whether they are poor or part of the corporate Lagos, the informal sector, whether you are an adult or a child, everyone is supposed to have health insurance cover,” he said.

Speaking earlier at the event, the state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the government was working to improve the quality of services in the state health facilities.

Abayomi who was represented at the event by the General Manager of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, said, “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. 

“Recently the agency Launched a diaspora plan, a novel initiative in the Nigerian Social Health Insurance space.”

Commenting on the service charter and enrolees handbook, the commissioner said the documents remain a valuable tool for facilitating a sure progression towards improving the quality of services in the state facilities. 

“The agency has very high expectations as to the positive impact the implementation will have on the quality of service that will be delivered at our health facilities. Great effort must be made to sustain and even improve your level of service charter compliance,” Abayomi said.