The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has commenced a statewide facilities readiness assessment across all ILERA EKO empanelled hospitals as part of preparations for the enforcement of the Executive Order on Mandatory Social Health Insurance in Lagos State.
The Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, disclosed this in Alausa, Ikeja, noting that the exercise began with public health facilities, including General Hospitals and Primary Health Centres, as well as private hospitals with high patient turnout under the ILERA EKO scheme.
According to her, the assessment serves as a baseline to guide the strengthening of enforcement mechanisms for the Executive Order across the state. She explained that the compliance checks will also be extended to other private facilities under the scheme.
Dr. Zamba stated that the initiative is aimed at ensuring that healthcare facilities are fully prepared to register and enrol patients who are not yet covered by ILERA EKO when they visit hospitals. She added that vulnerable residents will also be identified, profiled, and enrolled to guarantee access to quality and equitable healthcare services.
She described the compliance assessment as a critical step toward evaluating hospital readiness, identifying gaps, enforcing operational standards, and improving adherence to the guidelines of the ILERA EKO Health Insurance Plan.
Facilities under the scheme are expected to meet several requirements, including appointing a focal person for Executive Order implementation, designating trained staff as ILERA EKO and Vulnerable Desk officers, providing screening tools for vulnerable persons, maintaining complaint escalation procedures, displaying clear directional signage, featuring ILERA EKO information on their websites, and ensuring staff duty rosters for continuous service coverage.
Dr. Zamba further explained that the initiative aligns with the Lagos State Government’s broader objective of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), where residents can access healthcare services without financial hardship. She reaffirmed LASHMA’s commitment to maintaining quality, accessibility, and efficiency in healthcare delivery through continuous monitoring and stakeholder collaboration.
She also urged residents yet to enroll in the ILERA EKO Health Insurance Plan to take advantage of its affordable and comprehensive coverage, noting that the scheme covers over 75 per cent of common hospital needs in the state.
In addition, she disclosed that LASHMA is engaging with the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), Lagos State Chapter, to onboard more private healthcare providers as enforcement of the Executive Order intensifies.
Reacting to the initiative, Medical Directors of Agbowa and Imota General Hospitals, Dr. Kayode Grillo and Dr. Adenike Omosun, commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for signing the Executive Order, describing it as a landmark step that has expanded access to healthcare at the grassroots.
They also praised LASHMA for its continued support and innovations, expressing confidence that the ongoing assessment will further enhance service delivery across ILERA EKO facilities.
Similarly, the Medical Director of Haruna Ogun Memorial Specialist Hospital, Ikorodu, Prof. Yomi Ogun, commended LASHMA’s efforts in promoting affordable and equitable healthcare and pledged the hospital’s continued cooperation with the agency.
LASHMA currently has 765 providers under the ILERA EKO scheme, including Federal Medical Centres, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), General Hospitals, Primary Health Centres, private hospitals, nursing homes, eye and dental hospitals, diagnostic centres, and community pharmacies.