The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), in its commitment to ensure that residents in the State have access to quality and improved service delivery, has organized a three-day engagement forum with all the heathcare providers under the State Social Health Scheme.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, in her welcome address, delivered during Y2025 Quarter one Healthcare Providers forum held recently at LASHMA Headquarter, Alausa, Ikeja, applauded the healthcare providers for their continued partnership and commitment to deliver quality service to ILERA EKO Enrollees across the State.
She noted that the collaboration of the providers with the State Government has sustained the Scheme, made it a cornerstone of the State’s drive towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the provision of equitable access to healthcare service.
Dr. Zamba reminded providers that Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a journey that is not the responsibility of the State Government alone. Rather, it requires the active participation of all the stakeholders, including the healthcare providers.
The Permanent Secretary said, “Your contributions to advancing UHC in Lagos State will be remembered as part of a legacy of excellence in healthcare. Together, we are building a stronger, more efficient, reliable, and sustainable healthcare system for the benefit of all.”
She implored the healthcare providers not to relent in ensuring that enrollees on the scheme have quality and improved service. Dr. Zamba urged providers who have not established a separate pathway in their facilities for ILERA EKO Enrollees, to do so immediately in order to reduce the turn around time of patients at the hospital and also make access to care very seamless.
The Permanent Secretary said that in order to make registration easy for residents, LASHMA, through its latest innovation, ILERA EKO Academy, has trained its providers to become provider-led-enrolment centres. She implored residents in the state who want to enrol on ILERA EKO to also visit any of the providers under the scheme as they have been trained to do so.
Dr. Zamba urged providers to be cautious of what they say to Enrollees about the Health Insurance Plan as they are not just service providers but also ILERA EKO Ambassadors.
The Permanent Secretary, who reiterated the importance of professionalism and compliance, urged providers to avoid infractions that could lead to penalties. She added that to ensure that providers comply with the Lagos State Health Scheme Law (LSHS) and the Executive Order, the Agency has instituted a Consequence Management Policy (CMP). Dr. Zamba warned that any provider found wanting after investigation would be appropriately sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of the LSHS Law.
Promising that the Agency would not relent in supporting the providers to deliver quality service, she disclosed that the Agency would soon commence the implementation of ILERA EKO Service Charter in all the heathcare providers under the scheme.
According to her, Service Charter is one of the Agency’s commitment to standardization and responsive service, adding that this would aid service delivery by the providers, improve customer service, and increase the uptake on ILERA EKO.
The Permanent Secretary also revealed that LASHMA, in partnership with the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA), would soon commence the deployment of Card Readers to the providers. She said that the pilot phase of LASRRA-LASHMA Card Readers, in some of the facilities under the Scheme, which would subsequently be scaled up, will assist in easy data processing of Enrollees’ information and also reduce their waiting time at the facilities.
Dr. Zamba also added that the Card Readers would also facilitate real-time service verification and curb impersonation by some of the residents who do not register under the scheme but use enrollees’ information to access care and collect drugs.
LASHMA facilitators at the event were the Compliance and Enforcement Manager, Mrs. Tosin Adeosun; Care Manager, Dr. Temitope Olukinni; Supply and Logistics Officer, Pharm. Tolase Adeoluwa; Head, Business Development, Mr. Rotimi Olatunji; Quality Team Lead, Miss Olawunmi Akinsanmi and Head, ICT, Mr. Sefiu Oladejo
