THE Lagos State government has launched “EKO TELEMED” for the residents in the State in order to further protect the citizens and reduce their risk of contacting Coronavirus popularly known as COVID-19.
The General Manager, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, speaking on the online launch, said
with effect from Wednesday, 22nd April, 2020, residents in the State would have access to highly trained and experienced medical Doctors for non-emergency primary care advice via voice or video call without going out from their homes.
Dr. Zamba said that residents who develop any non-COVID health issues during the lockdown period only needed to dial 08000EKOMED (08000356633) free toll.
According to her, the free toll line, would enable residents to have direct access to non-emergency primary care via voice or video call and speak with trained medical Doctors in any of the four major languages in Lagos State – English Language, Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo.
The General Manager said that Doctors and Case Managers would be available 24/7 on EKO TELEMED to provide medical services to the residents of Lagos State for a period of 8 weeks as the State continued to roll out its strategies for containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
She added that if further medical treatment is needed after due consultation with the medical Doctors, non-Covid 19 cases would be referred to designated and empaneled Healthcare Providers under the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS) or where applicable, preferred Healthcare Providers but patients with high index of COVID-19 suspicion, would be referred to designated testing sites and isolation centers in Lagos State through the COVID19 HOTLINE 08000CORONA.
Dr. Zamba who commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for approving the project, said that EKO TELEMED provided by the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) is part of COVID-19 response.
She added that the project would increase access to care, reduce the challenge of travel to hospitals in this period of restricted movements, except for emergencies. It would also create an entry point for quicker evacuation of confirmed and severely ill suspected COVID-19 cases to the designated treatment facility. This, according to her, would ensure better health outcomes for affected citizens thereby reducing morbidity and mortality associated with the pandemic.
The General Manager who said that EKO TELEMED marks a new beginning in the provision of medical consultation and services for the Lagos State Health Scheme, appealed to the residents in the State to tap into the opportunity in order for the Lagos State Government to further protect their lives and family members as well as contain the spread of the virus.
She said that discussions are ongoing to ensure that this novel service would continue to be provided under the Lagos State Health Scheme. She reminded the residents in the State to at all times wash their hands, ensure social distancing and obey the lockdown order to the letter so that collectively, we can contain the virus.