LASHMA commences structured outreaches to sensitize stakeholders on Ilera Eko
The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has commenced a structured outreach programme across the 57 LGAs/LCDAs in Lagos State to further sensitize Local Government chairmen, key stakeholders, and community members on the Executive Order called Ilera Eko Ilera Ibile.
This is to strengthen grassroots implementation of the health insurance program.
According to the Technical Adviser to the Executive Officer (TAEO) to the Permanent Secretary, LASHMA Dr. Nifesimi Akinnagbe, during those visits, LASHMA engages the Chairmen to nominate Ilera Ibile officers, sponsor vulnerable residents, pick date and venue for stakeholders engagement and come up with homegrown framework to increase access to care.
The enforcement of the Executive Order has prompted increased infiltration of the social health insurance scheme in the informal sector.
“Since over 70 per cent of Lagos population falls under the informal sector, as a result, we have consistently engaged the community leaders on the significance of Ilera-Eko being a reliable means to access quality and affordable healthcare. Presently, we have Ilera-Eko advocates, who promote the scheme at the grassroots and community levels,” Dr Akinnagbe said.
To underpin these achievements, LASHMA has stepped up efforts to deepen community participation in the Ilera-Eko health insurance scheme, by announcing the introduction of ‘Ilera-Ibile officers’ to serve as community agents.
The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Emmanuella Zamba, said this at the LASHMA second-quarter media parley held in Lagos.
Ms Zamba explained that Ilera-Ibile officers are saddled with the responsibilities of sensitising, registering, educating and bringing community dwellers on board to benefit from the scheme.
Adding that the agency also inaugurated the EKO Social Health Alliance (EKOSHA) Rural Health Scheme in Agboyi Ori-Omi under Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, to ensure that underserved rural areas have access to healthcare.
She charted a broad reform agenda anchored on increasing participation and awareness of the scheme, including innovation in payment systems and increased collaboration with journalists and community stakeholders, “the essence of the Ilera-Ibile is to have some level of community ownership, along with other efforts to increase public awareness.
“The essence of the EKOSHA initiative is to ensure that people living in underserved areas where there is no Primary Health Centre have access to healthcare services through the Mobile Health Van,” she said.
According to her, a total of 18 lives have been saved through the LASHMA Assistance in Distress (LASHMA-AID) initiative, an Emergency Service Programme for residents of the State.
The LASHMA permanent secretary stated that the agency would in August announce a new policy of the scheme, aimed at providing quality access to healthcare for Lagosians.
In response to economic pressures and feedback from enrollees, Ms Zamba stated that the waiting time to access care under Ilera-Eko cannot be shortened for value and sustainability reasons.
The Head, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, LASHMA, Adetoro Tayo-Adetoro, said that utilisation of Ilera-Eko had continued to rise, showing that coverage was translating into real access to care.
According to her, more enrollees are actively using services, a strong indicator of trust and relevance, as over 1.5 million enrollees are already benefiting from the various health insurance programs.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Strategy, Olanrewaju Bajulaiye, commended the participants, urging the media to continue to create awareness on health insurance.
