The Lagos State Government has reiterated the importance of health insurance coverage for residents, saying it is central to achieving Universal Health Coverage in the state. The Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, stated this during an unscheduled visit to the existing Shomolu General Hospital while inspecting the construction of……
The Lagos State Government has reiterated the importance of health insurance coverage for residents, saying it is central to achieving Universal Health Coverage in the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, stated this during an unscheduled visit to the existing Shomolu General Hospital while inspecting the construction of the new 150-bed Shomolu Specialist General Hospital.
During the visit, Abayomi engaged patients and healthcare workers on their experiences with health insurance, stressing the need for residents to understand how health insurance works and what their plans cover.
According to the commissioner, the 2024 Executive Order domesticating the National Health Insurance Authority Act 2022 has made health insurance mandatory in Lagos State.
The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), under the Ministry of Health, administers the state’s health insurance schemes.
Abayomi explained that residents without health insurance are required to pay out of pocket for hospital cards, laboratory tests, admission, medications and other services, which could place significant financial pressure on families during medical emergencies.
He said the subsidised Ilera Eko plan costs ₦15,000 annually, equivalent to about ₦1,250 per month for an individual.
The plan, according to him, covers services including doctors’ consultations, antenatal and childbirth care, treatment for malaria and fever, management of hypertension and diabetes, laboratory tests, simple surgeries, specialist consultations and up to 15 hospital days annually.
Abayomi attributed the relatively low cost of the plan to risk pooling and substantial government subsidy, noting that the unsubsidised cost would be about ₦100,000 per person annually.
He added that other insurance plans offer wider coverage, while unsubsidised private health insurance options are also available for corporate residents.
The commissioner, however, clarified that residents may have to pay out of pocket for treatments outside their insurance package or beyond the applicable annual limits.
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He urged residents to understand the terms and coverage limits of their health insurance plans before seeking treatment.
Non-corporate residents interested in enrolling for Ilera Eko were advised to visit any LASHMA office, the health insurance desk at any Lagos State general hospital or a 24-hour primary healthcare centre.
Abayomi also encouraged residents to share their experiences with health insurance and identify the challenges preventing them from enrolling.
