Communities Benefit from 3-day Free Medical Mission

Ejigbo, Isolo and Oshodi communities are benefitting from the ongoing LSGA free medical mission billed to run from March 14th to 17th of this month.
These LGA and LCDAs are among the 20 Local Governments (LGA) and 57 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of Lagos state, that are currently enjoying the free medical care, an initiative of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
The Health Policy, is an opportunity to give back to the communities. The Lagos State Government embarked on the free Medical Mission, to provide free healthcare services to all residents of Lagos State, irrespective of their financial or social status.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, at a news conference in Alausa, Lagos, said the free healthcare, under the Lagos State Medical Mission, will run from March 1 and end on June 8, 2017.
Idris said the program, over the years has helped to complement health service delivery in the state helping government to take healthcare to the grassroots, by addressing pressing health issues of the rural communities in the state.
“These Missions provide primary care services to the doorsteps of the citizens of Lagos at no cost to the people”, adding, that Medical Missions are short-term interventions, geared towards the strategic development plan of ensuring Universal Health Coverage.
He said Medical missions are significant because they enable the administration, to provide healthcare services to all, irrespective of age, gender, socio-economic status and affiliations. The commissioner added that the medical teams providing these services are competent professionals, committed to ensuring that the mandate of the state government is fully realized.
Stating that the vision of sustainable healthcare and universal coverage demanded that the state adopts an approach that was not only efficient, but also effective in addressing the growing health demand of the Lagos megacity, he said: “With a teeming population of over 22 million residents, the healthcare demands of this urban population are growing at an exponential rate and as the cost of care with out-of-pocket payments are also increasing, the economic burden on our citizens is becoming more unbearable by the day; this we cannot allow to continue.”
Idris explained, that because of the current economic downturn, Lagos residents require a safety net to be in place to improve the health outcome of all residents, especially the most vulnerable in the society and a significant reduction of out-of-pocket payment that persists in Nigeria.
Adding that, it has become imperative for the state govt. to provide adequate financial protection for the citizens through the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme. This Health Scheme will take off this year and will be made mandatory for all residents of the state.
Idris said the state government is working tirelessly to ensure that all citizens have healthcare coverage and the 100 days of free health initiative, is one of the current strategies, designed to address it.