The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has called on the students of the Lagos State University of Technology (LASUSTECH) to utilise the State Social Health Insurance Plan, popularly known as ILERA EKO, to have ready access to good health care.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, made the call during a recent sensitisation of the students on ILERA EKO at the institution in Ikorodu, urging them to prioritise their health and take full advantage of the benefit package covered under the Scheme.
Represented by the Head, Sales and Marketing, LASHMA, Miss Uche Igweonyia, Dr. Zamba said that the enrolment of the students on ILERA EKO was a welcome initiative by the management of the school, to ensure that students are not only academically sound but also have good health.
Commending LASUSTECH for onboarding their staff and students on the Scheme, Dr. Zamba opined that health coverage is no longer a luxury but a necessity, especially in academic institutions where the pressure of school work and change in the lifestyle of the students can lead to unexpected health challenges.
Dr. Zamba said that with ILERA EKO, students in tertiary institutions in the State can enjoy benefits such as consultation, registration, treatment of common illnesses like malaria and typhoid, dental care, emergency care, laboratory and radiological investigations, as well as minor and intermediate surgery.
The Permanent Secretary said, “As students, your daily routine can be stressful, such as going to classes, having tight schedules, doing assignments and reading late, thereby sometimes making you forget about taking good care of your health”.
She called on the students to use the ILERA EKO Telemedicine service at their convenience, either by dialling 080000-EKO-VBT (080000-356-828) on any phone or downloading the App on Android or IOS. She appealed to them to be ILERA EKO Health advocates to their parents, family members and friends.
The Permanent Secretary urged other tertiary institutions in the State, including primary and secondary schools not yet on ILERA EKO, to enrol both their staff and students or pupils, especially now that the Social Health Insurance is mandatory.
The Vice Chancellor, LASUSTECH, Prof. Olumuyiwa Odusanya, in his remarks, said that good health is the ultimate and that prevention of any illness is better, faster, more effective and cheaper than curative health. He said, “It is cheaper to treat a sickness at the early stage”.
He appealed to the students to take advantage of ILERA EKO, visit the clinic in the school whenever they are feeling unwell and if necessary, get a referral from the clinic to a secondary hospital for further medical treatment.
Prof. Odusanya implored them to stay away from self-medication as this could worsen their medical challenge.
He commended the State Government for the establishment of the Social Health Insurance Scheme and promised that the institution would continue to give full support to the Agency and the State Government.
The Dean of Student Affairs, LASUSTECH, Dr. Aderogba Ademola, assured the students that the institution is committed to their wellness and good health. He noted that this prompted the registration and enrolment of the students on ILERA EKO.
The Student Union President, Mr. David Gabriel, in his closing remarks, commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Agency and LASUSTECH Management, for their commitment to ensure that the students enjoy the benefits under ILERA EKO Tertiary Health Insurance Plan so that they could be healthy to cope with their various academic challenges.
He implored the students to access care on ILERA EKO as this would reduce out-of-pocket payment of medical bills by their parents, adding that such money saved could be used by the students for other immediate needs.
