By Olanrewaju Adesanya
SUNRISE NEWS, Lagos, Aug 8, 2020 – Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been commended for ensuring that residents in the State irrespective of their tribes have access to good, affordable and quality health care through the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS).
Speaking during a Stakeholders’ Forum organized by the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) for NOLLYINSURED which comprised of various guilds and associations under NOLLYWOOD at Alausa, Ikeja, the Chairman of NOLLYINSURED, Mr. Fred Amata, said that the health scheme now provides an opportunity for the movie practitioners to access quality healthcare.
He said that the group would continue to partner with the Lagos State Government and ensure the enrolment of the Nollywood practitioners, adding that good health would enable the actors, actresses, producers, directors, creative designers and screen writers among others to discharge their roles effectively and efficiently.
Amata explained that the concept of NOLLYINSURED originated from the need to guarantee quality health for NOLLYWOOD practitioners and avoid a situation where the members will be running helter-skelter whenever they are confronted with any medical challenge.
Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Pharmacist (Mrs) Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, in her response, urged NOLLYINSURED to cooperate with the Lagos State Government and enroll their members on the Lagos State Health Scheme in order to ensure that they have access to quality healthcare whenever the need arises and continue to provide quality entertainment to their numerous fans.
She added that the entertainment industry is an important sector which contributes to the development of the State in particular and Nigeria in general.
The Commissioner said that the Lagos State Government is passionate and committed towards ensuring that residents in the State live a healthy life because a healthy state is a healthy nation, hence the need for the establishment of the Lagos State Health Scheme.
Akinbile-Yusuf appealed to the NOLLYWOOD practitioners to sensitize all their members and the general public on the benefits of the Lagos State Health Scheme and ensure that they enroll on the scheme.
The Acting General Manager, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, earlier in her remarks commended NOLLYWOOD practitioners for partnering with the Agency. She said that the health of every resident is important to the Lagos State Government and Lagos State Health Management Agency.
Dr. Zamba said that the Agency would not relent in its efforts in ensuring that residents in the State have access to affordable and quality healthcare in the State.
Commending Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his efforts in supporting the Agency in realizing its mandate, she said that with N40, 000 annually, a family of six consisting of the father, mother and four children below 18 years would have access to care while an individual who pays N8, 500 annually would also enjoy the same benefit at any hospital of their choice under the Lagos State Health Scheme.
In addition, she said that any LSHS Enrollee who is sick and does not want to go to hospital, can also consult a medical Doctor via audio or video call through 08000EKOMED (08000356633) free toll from the comfort of their homes.
Nollywood guilds and associations at the stakeholders’ forum included Directors’ Guild of Nigeria (DGN) led by its President, Mr. Fred Amata, National Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Association of Nollywood Core Producers (ANCOP), Theatre and Movie Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), Association of Movie Content Owners and Distributors of Nigeria (AMCOD), Film, Video Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (FVPMAN) and Screen Writers Guild of Nigeria (SWGN).
Others were Association of Motion Pictures Entertainment of Nigeria (AMPEEN), Cinematography Society of Nigeria (CSN), Association of Voice Over Artists (AVOA), Creative Designers Guild of Nigeria (CDGN) and Association of Movie Producers in Nigeria (AMP).