LASG Seeks More Support As Vulnerable Residents Benefit From Equity Fund

The Lagos State Government has called for more funding for health insurance for underprivileged residents while restating its commitment to cater for the vulnerable through the implementation of a social safety package called the equity fund.

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi who disclosed this, said the equity fund in the state’s budget is allocated to purchasing health insurance for underprivileged residents, who are qualified.

He spoke at the Eko Social Health Alliance, (EKOSHA) fundraising event which was held late Thursday with the theme ‘Art and Charity’.
According to Abayomi, there is a database for assessing people who fall below the threshold of self-sustainability.

“That database is what we use to assess people and pay for their health insurance so that they can access health at any of our government facilities, primary health care facilities, our general hospitals and even when they choose to go to a private facility,” he said.

Abayomi stressed that with the social safety scheme, vulnerable residents can acquire medical treatment without fees for hypertension, diabetes, fever, birth control, antenatal care and basic surgical procedures, among others.

The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Dr Emmanuella Zamba, who described the fundraising event as a drop in the ocean, said more funds are needed to care for the less-privileged.

She also disclosed that no fewer than 923,000 people are covered under the Ilera Eko scheme.

Her words: “About two-thirds of that, which is like 334,000 are the vulnerable we have been able to cover thus far using the equity fund that Governor Sanwo-Olu gives to the agency as well as the basic healthcare provision fund from the Federal Government, support from philanthropists and general members of the public.

“This event was set aside to raise funds to cover an additional 200 to 300,000 people going forward. Some of the proceeds from this event will go into the accounts of 14 orphans who will have access to the account at the age of 18.

“We prioritise kids because they are the future of tomorrow. What will our tomorrow be like if we don’t nurture our kids? Children are special to us.

“We are IT enabled. We say what we mean and we mean what we say. Though we are coming out officially today (Thursday), we have been at this since December 2022. We have raised about N5 million through donations.

“It is transparent. We have newsletters that come out every quarter and we give an account of every single thing covered. We don’t collect money and do not give accounts.

“This fundraising is a drop in the ocean when you look at our poverty index in Lagos State. We are calling on people to continuously support us as we bridge the gap for a healthier Lagos.”