Adeyinka Adeniji 
The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to providing affordable, quality, and equitable healthcare to all residents.
At its first quarter 2025 media parley held at the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) headquarters, Permanent Secretary Emmanuella Zamba emphasized the importance of public awareness in driving health insurance enrollment.
Zamba explained the agency’s initiatives to enhance enrollment, including the Ilera N Tiwa Cooperative initiative, which offers flexible payment options for artisans, traders, and low-income earners.
She also noted that the Ilera-Eko Academy aims to expand the sales force in the informal sector while educating residents on the benefits of enrolling in the scheme.
According to her, LASHMA has made significant progress in increasing health insurance coverage in Lagos.
As of December 2023, over 923,000 residents had enrolled in the Ilera-Eko scheme. The agency aims to build on this momentum with a focus on mandatory enrollment for all residents.
To facilitate enrollment, Zamba noted that LASHMA has established various registration channels, including its head office, divisional and sub-divisional offices, kiosks, community pharmacies, and online platforms.
She urged stakeholders, including Journalists, to help raise awareness about the importance and benefits of Ilera-Eko, stressing that collaboration is key to achieving universal health coverage and building a healthier Lagos.
Providing an update on the Ilera Eko Health Scheme and other strategic interventions, she said:
“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu issued an executive order in July 2024, making Ilera Eko mandatory for all residents of Lagos State.
“This social health insurance plan is the most affordable qualitative plan you can get anywhere for just a token amount of ₦15,000 per individual.
“You will be able to get benefits such as general outpatient treatment. If you have a cough, fever, or malaria, or if your child is ill, they will treat you.
“You can be admitted under the scheme for up to 15 days. It also covers eye care, dental care, chest X-rays, and blood tests. If you’re asthmatic, you can receive treatment under the scheme. Sickle cell warriors are also covered,” she said.
Zamba reeled out some of the agency’s achievements in the first quarter, including the establishment of Ilera Eko cooperatives for artisans and small business owners.
“We have the Ilera Eko Academy to train healthcare providers and a quarterly media parley to create more public awareness of the social health insurance scheme.
“Ilera Eko is the state’s social health insurance bank, made mandatory through the National Health Insurance Act of 2022, and Lagos State has fully implemented it.
“We conduct surgeries such as appendectomies, cataract removal, herniorrhaphy, and incision and drainage procedures. These minor to medium surgeries are covered under the scheme,” she explained.
She added that the scheme also covers chronic health conditions:
“If you are hypertensive or diabetic, you can receive your medication monthly under the scheme. If you have been enrolled for over a year, you gain access to cancer care and dialysis.
“We have telemedicine under the scheme, so once you enroll, you can access care from the comfort of your home via a hotline, a telemedicine app, or by walking into our virtual booths,” Zamba said.
Providing a breakdown of the different enrollment categories, she said: #15,000 per year for an individual, #55,000 per year for a family of four and #80,000 per year for a family of six.
“When you compare the cost to the scope of benefits, it is unquantifiable. Governor Sanwo-Olu is passionate about this initiative, and he has heavily subsidized the plan.
“We encourage all residents to enroll, as it is now mandatory. Pregnant women can deliver under the scheme, and even caesarean sections are covered free of charge under the family plan,” she added.
Explaining the rationale behind the cooperative system, Dr. Zamba stated that Ilera Eko cooperative subscribers must pay a ₦1,000 non-refundable membership fee.
Additionally, they are required to contribute a minimum of ₦12,000 annually or ₦500 monthly to offset healthcare payments in installments.
The cooperative also enables members to purchase food directly from farmers at lower prices to promote healthy living.
Some users of the Ilera Eko health scheme commended LASHMA officials for their proactiveness and efficiency in attending to patients under the scheme.
