Lagos HOS Pledges Enforcement of Health Insurance Executive Order

The Lagos State Government has taken a decisive step toward full enforcement of mandatory health insurance for all residents, as the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) on Thursday convened a high-level strategic retreat with the Head of Service (HOS), Mr. Olabode Agoro, and the Body of Permanent Secretaries.

The retreat, held at Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, was centred on the implementation of the Executive Order signed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in July 2024, which makes enrolment on the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS) compulsory for residents.

The Head of Service, Mr. Olabode Agoro and members of the body of Permanent Secretaries in Lagos State, at the retreat, renewed calls for residents to embrace the Lagos State Social Health Insurance Scheme, Ilera-Eko, stressing that the recently signed Executive Order mandating health insurance enrolment will guarantee universal access to healthcare and protect citizens from catastrophic medical expenses.

Delivering his keynote address, Mr. Agoro charged Permanent Secretaries to lead the enforcement of the Executive Order, stressing that universal health coverage is the foundation for a healthy and productive Lagos. He described health as the greatest asset of any society, quoting Winston Churchill’s assertion that “healthy citizens are the greatest assets any country can have.”

He noted that out-of-pocket payments continue to impoverish residents, with many selling properties or resorting to self-medication due to high medical bills.

Agoro highlighted Governor Sanwo-Olu’s approval of 75% subsidy on annual premiums for civil servants and their families, retirees’ free one-year insurance cover, and the state’s massive investments in healthcare infrastructure as evidence of the government’s commitment. He urged Permanent Secretaries to take ownership of the Executive Order’s enforcement, stressing that their ministries are the first points of contact with residents.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, Chairman of LASHMA Board, Dr. Adebayo Adedewe, described the retreat as a “strategic platform” to align MDAs with the Executive Order, reinforced recently by President Bola Tinubu’s directive making health insurance mandatory nationwide. He said the order must translate into tangible access for Lagosians.

Dr. Adedewe explained that LASHMA has scaled enrolment from 100,000 residents in 2020 to over one million through innovations such as Pay Small Small payment plans, telemedicine, market-based V-booths, cooperative-driven enrolment, and cross-border collaboration with Ogun State.

He praised the Governor’s bold decision to make the Equity Fund a first-line charge, describing it as unprecedented in Nigeria. He, however, called on Permanent Secretaries to help tackle gaps in service delivery at primary and general hospitals, insisting that quality service is key to sustaining residents’ trust in the scheme.

Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, described Lagos as “Nigeria’s exemplar state in health insurance,” noting that success in Lagos would spur nationwide compliance. He challenged the state to scale enrolment from one million to five million and beyond.

He stressed that enforcement of mandatory health insurance must go hand-in-hand with public awareness and trust-building. “Insurance is not a tax,” Ohiri cautioned. “If we enforce without building trust and delivering quality care, people will still vote with their feet.”

Ohiri commended Lagos for making health equity a priority through its Equity Fund, aligning with the NHIA’s national reforms to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and expand access to primary healthcare. He pledged full federal support for Lagos’ pioneering efforts.

Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, explained that Permanent Secretaries were targeted for the retreat because of their central role in policy implementation. She said MDAs must lead by example by embedding health insurance requirements in their internal and external dealings.

Zamba disclosed plans for MDAs to host LASHMA desks and integrate enrolment links on their websites to make compliance seamless for clients and stakeholders. She praised the Permanent Secretaries decorated as Champions, noting that they had gone ahead to institutionalise the directive within their MDAs.

She also described Ilera-Eko as one of the most comprehensive packages in Nigeria, covering primary, secondary, and some tertiary care, including maternity services, for a subsidised contribution for Lagos State public servants.

Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, who was decorated as an Ilera-Eko Champion, reiterated that the essence of the scheme is to guarantee health access without financial ruin. “No one should become bankrupt because of healthcare,” he said.

Ogboye pledged that the Ministry of Health would continue to drive enrolment at its facilities, ensuring that uninsured patients are promptly registered into the scheme. “We will make sure that people are encouraged, by any means necessary, to get on board the scheme,” he assured.

Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board (PHCB), Dr. Ibrahim Mustafa, mni, said health insurance remains the surest pathway to universal health coverage. He explained that while many Nigerians are often hesitant to adopt insurance, the Executive Order compels mandatory enrolment, ensuring that every Lagos resident is empanelled on Ilera-Eko.

Dr. Mustafa disclosed that the PHCB has been leveraging traditional and new media, alongside health educators at the community level, to improve awareness and drive uptake of the scheme. According to him, these educators directly engage residents, enlightening them on the benefits of Ilera-Eko and the services available at Primary Health Care Centres. He urged Lagosians to seize the opportunity to avoid being impoverished by unexpected illness.

Also speaking, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Establishments and Training, Mrs. Olubusola Abidakun, reaffirmed her Ministry’s leading role in promoting the scheme among the State’s workforce. She said health insurance has been embedded into the training and orientation of civil servants, making it an essential part of public service.

Mrs. Abidakun, who was also decorated as an Ilera-Eko Champion at the event, said the recognition would further spur her and her team to sustain the drive for wider enrolment.

In the same vein, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr. Olayinka Adebayo, said his Ministry has integrated Ilera-Eko enrolment into its empowerment and employment initiatives. He disclosed that artisans, tradesmen, SMEs, and fresh graduates have been targeted, with more than 250 people registered at a recent Job Fair, while another 150 beneficiaries of vocational training from blighted communities were also enrolled.

Mr. Adebayo emphasised that Ilera-Eko is particularly crucial for low-income earners and vulnerable groups, insisting that access to healthcare is central to their economic empowerment.

He, therefore, called on other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to see themselves as partners with LASHMA in driving universal health coverage, stressing that the population of Lagos requires collective responsibility.

The high point of the event was the decoration of the HOS as Ilera-Eko Ambassador and selected Permanent Secretaries as Ilera-Eko Champions for their pioneering roles in driving scheme enrolment through their respective MDAs.

The retreat ended with a resounding call for inter-MDA collaboration to enforce the Executive Order, expand enrolment, and strengthen health governance, with stakeholders agreeing that universal health coverage must remain a non-negotiable goal for Lagos State.

OYONEWS