By Demi Adeniyi
Lagos State Government would continue to provide strategic support needed to ensure that all residents are covered under the Ilera Eko Social Health Insurance Plans, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi has said.
He spoke at the unveiling of the Ilera Eko Customer Application (Ilera Eko APP), the Telemed App, Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) Code and vending of health Vouchers, at Providence by Mantis Hotel, GRA, Lagos on Thursday.
This is even as he disclosed that the state would continue to improve on all health infrastructures in order to ensure that every one within the health fraternity work in more conducive environment which would ensure a reduction in the brain drain surge in the health sector.
According to him, the new Ilera Eko App would act as a catalyst for ensuring that more residents have access to affordable and quality healthcare irrespective of the rising cost of healthcare.
This he added is central to the objectives of Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu administration’s Universal health coverage as encapsulated in the THEMES Agenda.
He commended LASHMA’s efforts which is gradually changing the culture of insurance in the state, adding that the creation of the app would help increase enrollees into the two main health plans under Ilera Eko health Insurance plans.
According to him; “Just as holding vehicle insurance is a must before you put a vehicle on the road, because you never know when you will need it, it is becoming imperative that you also hold health insurance because healthcare is expensive and modern medicine is extremely expensive, but with a policy, you won’t ever need to empty your pocket to take care of your health needs.”
He said with the individual plan of N8,500 or a family bouquet of N40,000 enrollees would enjoy services that could make a difference and ensure that residents live in robust and affordable health.
The Commissioner commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the new National Health Insurance Act (NHIA) 2022, which now repositioned and strengthened state administered schemes and makes it mandatory for all Nigerians to hold Insurance scheme that would make affordable and qulity healthcare affordable to all.
He said the deployment of digital innovations by LASHMA is a means of widening access of residents and increase enrollees uptake in the scheme.
He described the app as another milestone achievement by LASHMA, the Ministry of Health and the Lagos State Government especially in an era of digitalization of social health insurance space in Nigeria.
“Lagos State is once again poised to lead in the digital space of social health insurance in Nigeria through the deployment of customized app that will enable residents easier access to health insurance coverage.
Earlier, LASHMA’s Board Member Barrister Ayo Adebusoye, said the technology platform will provide Lagos residents seamless access to meet the mandatory enrollment demand of the new National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act, which has made the State Social Health Insurance mandatory for all Nigerians (Lagos residents inclusive) with emphasis on state administered schemes.
He said the Ilera Eko Mobile Customer App and USSD channel will ensure that customers have easy access and exploration of LASHMA’s services from the comfort of their homes.
The creator of the app, Mr Callistus Zulu said the app is available and could be downloaded from Apple IOs and Android PlayStore, and is SMS and email driven.
For those without any smart phone, they can access the LASHMA health insurance platform via the *6700*006# short USSD short code, even as vouchers are available at all retail outlets where Lagosians could purchase the LASHMA health insurance voucher which could be uploaded for the payment of their health plans.
According to him, you can pay from the app, change hospital, upload medical history, even as the app is time saving, introduce ease of use, enhance policy status, addition of dependents, even as he added that the Eko Telemed has a toll free alternative that makes room for phone consultation from the comfort of enrollees homes and offices.
In its goodwill message, representative of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) Ibukun Adeigbe, commended the Lagos State Government for introducing digitalization of health system in Nigeria.
Representative of Salvis Trust HMO (established by the Catholic Church Nigeria), Dr Peter Orhivawote, commended LASHMA, for bringing all HMOs under its umbrella to offer access to quality healthcare for Nigerians.
He assure all Lagosians to key into the scheme, especially now that it has become compulsory for all Nigerians.
Permanent Secretary Ministry of Science and Technology Ms Olajumoke Fashola said the app is one of the many tools which the government is using to bring government closer to the people. She said the government will make everybody sign up.
Representative of SultanStan Mr Lai Labode who created the USSD Short Code said when the code fully comes on stream, it would ultimately make access simple as it could link it to their telephones.
He urged Lagosians to interact more with the *6700*006# and have access to affordable and quality healthcare through the Ilera Eko Health Insurance plan.
The Head Business Development and Marketing Rotimi Olatunji said with the unveiling of the Eagle Mascot by LASHMA, the agency plans to take the mascot to all primary and secondary schools and establish LASHMA Health Clubs in schools in order to take health insurance to homes in the state.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Customer Application and USSD unveiling ceremony, LASHMA’s General Manager Dr Emmanuella Zamba said about 654,000 Lagosians have so far been registered on the Ilera Eko Health Insurance Plan.