By Demilade Aderibigbe
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday flagged off the regulation making it mandatory for all residents – whether corporate or individuals to own the state’s health insurance scheme, with calls for all Lagosians to embrace the health insurance scheme.
Flagging off the scheme at The Providence By Mantis Hotel in Ikeja, the Governor said soon, it may become mandatory for anyone who desire to transact any business with the government to show evidence of having the health plan which made access to medicare available to everyone on demand.
Sanwo-Olu said the need to ensure the attainment of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) makes it mandatory for the government to begin the full implementation of the Lagos State Health Scheme, passed by the State’s House of Assembly since May 2015.
Under the law, Sanwo-Olu said it is mandatory for all residents in the state to have the health scheme which makes healthcare financing affordable and available to all irrespective of class or status.
Sanwo-Olu who was represented by an Health Economist and Technical Assistant to the Commissioner for Health Dr. Olumide Okulaja said the state government has enlisted all civil servants in the scheme, and urged the private sector to key into the scheme. He said the need to push for the attainment of the Universal Health Coverage necessitated the implementation of the provisions of the LSHS Law.
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He said the LASHMA initiative falls within his administration’s THEMES agenda, which is based on the belief that the best can only be gotten from the people when they are healthy and assured that their healthcare needs will be met at all times.
He said: “Prior to the inception of this administration, the Lagos State House of Assembly had enacted the Lagos State Health Scheme Law No. 4 of 2015 which made it mandatory for all residents of Lagos state to possess a health plan in order to have access to quality healthcare services. The objective of the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS) is to reduce out of pocket expenses on health and to eradicate the hardship caused by payment of huge medical bills by the residents. The LSHS also aims to ensure that healthcare costs are distributed across the various income groups in the state thereby enabling the government to concentrate on the provision of necessary infrastructure on health such as building new ultra modern hospitals as well as renovating and equipping existing healthcare facilities.”
He said the government has committed 1% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund as well as other statutory grants and funds required by the LSHS law as Equity Fund to the Lagos State Health Fund (LASHEF) to provide coverage for vulnerable groups by purchasing ILERA EKO plans.
The Commissioner of Health Prof. Akin Abayomi said the government came up with the health scheme knowing that a sizeable proportion of residents of the State may not be able to afford the health plans being sold by private HMOs and in order not to exclude them from the benefits of the LSHS, a government owned social health insurance plan with a competitive benefit package and affordable premium, known as ILERA- EKO was introduced.
He also assured that the government is working to improve the quality of services provided in public facilities by embarking on Public Private Partnership (PPP) for the Management and Maintenance of various Primary Healthcare Facilities (PHC) across the state even as there are plans to build new health facilities, remodel and equip existing ones, especially the General Hospitals whilst making sure that they have adequate manpower to provide the services expected of them.
The Chairman Board of the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) Dr Adetokunbo Alakija said LASHMA is out to ensure that all residents of Lagos are covered under the health scheme which makes health financing affordable and available to all on request, without recourse to their social status or destabilizing them or plunging them into poverty.
Under the Health Scheme, everyone irrespective of their social status have equitable right and access to quality healthcare to cushion their out of pocket expenses, by mere payment of a premium once a year.
He commended the State Governor for the approval of the regulatory framework which now makes it convenient for corporate organisations to register under the scheme and obtain a once in a lifetime Corporate Identification Number (CIN), under which they can ensure all their members of staff have access to their preferred bouquet of healthcare services.
Dr Temitope Omokugbe whose firm PharmAccess Ltd developed the regulatory portal said the portal is simple, seamless, and friendly.
LASHMA’s General Manager Dr Emmanuella Zamba said with the launch of the regulatory functions, the agency has been empowered to commence the next phase of its mandate by ensuring that access is provided to more Lagosians to quality affordable healthcare.
She said from January, more health needs would be provided for under its bouquets in line with recommendations of its actuarials who feel the scheme should cover more health requirements or needs of the people.
She urged all stakeholders especially the media to continue to support the agency in its drive to make healthcare accessible to all.
Dr Olufemi Olugbade, a member of LASHMA’s board, Dr Niyi Osunleye representative of the Health and Managed Healthcare Association of Nigeria (HMHAN), the umbrella body of HMOs and Dr Rachael Onifade, the representative of the Commissioner of Police Hakeem Odumosu, commended the state government for the initiative and urged LASHMA as the regulator to ensure the provision of a level playing ground for all health management organisations managing health insurance.
The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information and Strategy Mr Olusina Thorpe said the Ministry is geared towards supporting the agency is spreading the enlightenment among the grassroots. He urged the media to continue to partner with the government in ensuring that quality access to medicare is provided for the people regardless of their social status in the society.