Lagos warns hospitals against denying insured patients essential drugs
The Lagos State Government has cautioned health facilities, among them the General Hospital, Badagry, over rising complaints that patients enrolled under the state health insurance scheme are being denied access to essential medications.
The warning came from the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, HEFAMAA, during a Sensitisation Campaign and Town Hall Meeting held at the Badagry Local Government Secretariat.
The engagement focused on educating residents on the agency’s mandate and regulatory responsibilities.
HEFAMAA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Abiola Idowu, who was represented by the Director of Research and Statistics, Dr Olorunfemi Olonire, confirmed that the agency had received reports suggesting that insured patients were frequently informed that certain prescribed drugs were unavailable after consultations.
Idowu said the agency had taken note of the complaints and would formally escalate them to the Lagos State Health Management Authority, LASHMA, and the office of its Permanent Secretary for immediate intervention.
“When an insured patient visits a hospital and is told at the pharmacy that drugs exceeding 5% or 10% of their prescription are unavailable, it undermines both the insurance scheme and patient safety,” she said.
To strengthen oversight and improve patient feedback, Idowu revealed that HEFAMAA has introduced a QR code reporting system in public health facilities across the state.
She explained that patients who are denied medications covered under the insurance programme can scan the code and lodge their complaints instantly.
These submissions, she added, would be reviewed, documented and forwarded to the appropriate authorities for swift action.
Idowu also issued a warning against unlicensed individuals, including traditional healers and auxiliary nurses, who administer intravenous medications or perform other medical procedures in residential settings.
Such practices, she said, exposed patients to severe complications, which are often later blamed on accredited health facilities.
