The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has called on the Supervisors for Health in the various Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAS) in the State, to support the Agency and take ILERA EKO to the grassroots.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Dr. Emmanuella Zamba made the call during a stakeholders’ meeting on the Domestication of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act and Implementation of the Executive Order with the Lagos State Supervisors for Health held at Alausa, Ikeja.
She said the collaboration with the Supervisors for Health is imperative because they are one of the stakeholders who are connected with the people at the grassroots, saying “We are to make things better for the people in the State and you are the gateway”.
Dr. Zamba said that the priority of the State Government is to ensure that the informal sector which constitutes about 75 percent of the population of the State and the vulnerable is enrolled on the State Social Health Insurance Scheme.
She reminded that the Federal Government has made Health Insurance compulsory for every Nigerian through the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act signed in 2022 and similarly, the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS) Law of 2015, has also made Health Insurance mandatory for the residents in the State. She said that based on the two Laws, residents in the State need to enrol on the Scheme to enjoy affordable and quality healthcare.
Dr. Zamba noted that with Health Insurance, residents will be able to live a healthy life, contribute immensely to the economic development of the State, reduce out-of-pocket payment for medical bills and above all, reduce the financial catastrophe which such huge medical bills could have on the residents.
She said that the LSHS Law also provides that every organisation in the State, must register with the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) to obtain their Corporate Identification Number (CIN) which will be used to enrol their Staff on the Lagos State Social Health Insurance Plan popularly known as ILERA EKO.
The Permanent Secretary added that the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu believes in enlightenment before enforcement and that is the reason why the Agency is presently engaging with all the stakeholders in the Health Insurance space to inform and educate them on the provisions of the Laws as well as the Executive Order.
She implored the Supervisors for Health to please reach out to the grassroots to enrol on ILERA EKO. She reminded that if there is a need for additional information, complaint or commendation, LASHMA operates a 24/7 Customer Service which can be reached via 0800 – ILERAEKO (0800-45372356) Toll-free or 0700 – ILERAEKO (0700 – 45372356).
Dr. Zamba said that LASHMA is on the ground at the grassroots with its presence in the five IBILE Divisions and sub-divisional offices. She added that to reach the residents in remote areas, LASHMA also has several kiosks spread across the various LGAs, Enrollment Officers and Community-Based Enrollment Officers (CBOs) who have been trained to register residents on the Scheme.
The Chairman, Lagos State Supervisors for Health, Hon. Oluwaseun Ogundero, commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his passion in ensuring that residents in the State live a healthy life and have improved standard of living.
He said that ILERA EKO has given succour to a lot of residents in the State especially the vulnerable who could not afford to pay huge medical bills. “In our various communities many people who are sick, now go to the Hospitals for medical treatment and many pregnant women deliver their babies safely through ILERA EKO having paid N40,000 premium or without even paying anything as regards the vulnerable”.
Hon. Ogundero appealed to the Agency to assist in empanelling the various Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in their communities which are not yet under ILERA EKO, to ensure that residents at the grassroots have access to medical care in the closest Hospitals within their domains.
The Chairman promised that Supervisors for Health will work hand-in-hand with the Agency to ensure that the dream of the Lagos State Government in attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is realised in the State.
