By Henry Obetta

The Lagos State Government on Thursday emphasised that widespread participation in its Mandatory Social Health Insurance Scheme, Ilera Eko, is critical to improving healthcare delivery, expanding services in health centres, and reducing the financial burden of medical bills on residents.

The Coordinator, Regulations at the Lagos State Health Management Agency, LASHMA, Mr. Tosin Awosika, said that the success of the scheme depends largely on the number of residents willing to enroll.
Speaking at a two-day capacity-building workshop for journalists on the Lagos Health Scheme (LSHS) and Ilera Eko, organised by LASHMA in collaboration with ISMPH and the EngenderHealth Consortium Partnership, Awosika stressed that health insurance thrives on numbers. Higher enrollment translates into better funding for facilities, improved equipment, and enhanced training for health workers.

“Under Ilera Eko you can do surgeries. The beauty of insurance is in the numbers. If you don’t have the numbers, you are not going to feel the impact of the insurance. The more people that we have on board, the more the services grow,” he said.

Awosika noted that increased participation would not only reduce out-of-pocket spending but also strengthen the state’s capacity to provide quality healthcare services across primary and secondary facilities.

He revealed that the government has established an equity fund — one per cent of the state’s consolidated revenue — to enroll vulnerable residents who cannot afford premiums.

“This ensures that nobody is left behind,” he added.

Giving an overview of the scheme, Head of Ilera Eko Medical, Dr. Olugbenga Fadipe, said the insurance plans were structured to guarantee access to essential health services irrespective of the category under which a resident registers.

He warned that rising medical costs pose a serious threat to household finances, describing health insurance as a safeguard against poverty.

“We are just one illness away from extreme poverty. We plan to build houses, travel, and do a whole lot, but we don’t plan to go to the hospital and be sick. In reality, we are supposed to plan for this. Ilera Eko is an opportunity for us to put this in place,” Fadipe said.

“No matter your financial status, you can access the essential health services that you need,” he added.
Fadipe listed benefits of the scheme to include primary healthcare services, maternal and child health services, specialist consultations, surgeries, dental and eye care, and physiotherapy. He noted that cancer care, dialysis, and screening services become accessible after the second year of enrollment.

He also highlighted the inclusion of annual wellness screening — a series of medical tests designed to assess overall health — even for residents who are not ill.

On emergency response, Fadipe underscored the impact of the newly launched LASHMA Aid Programme.
“We have ensured that when you go to any facility in Lagos for the first 48 hours, you will be stabilised. You can also be moved to other hospitals for stabilisation. Ambulances are available to move people from the site of the emergency to the hospital,” he said.

Also speaking, Head of Sales and Agent Coordination at LASHMA, Ms. Uche Igweoniya, outlined the registration process and warned residents against falling victim to fraudsters.

“Registration can be done at our head office in Alausa, divisional offices across the five IBILE divisions, kiosks, virtual booths, hospitals, and community pharmacies, as well as through partnerships with key MDAs,” she said.

Igweoniya added that residents can also register online via the LASHMA website and that a USSD registration option is being developed to make the process easier. Required details include name, date of birth, email address, residential address, and a recent passport photograph.

She emphasised that the agency operates a strict cashless policy.

“We don’t accept cash payments. Please don’t transfer money to anyone. The agency doesn’t recognise that. There have been issues of scam,” she warned.

Stakeholders at the workshop maintained that as more Lagosians enroll in Ilera Eko, the pool of funds would expand, strengthening the state’s healthcare system and ensuring that residents receive affordable, timely, and quality medical services.