By Felix Kuyinu
Lagos State Government, LASG, has announced that plans are ongoing to establish a body, Lagos State Essential Medicine Agency, LSEMA, to ensure seamless management and distribution of essential medicines and ensuring better health condition of residents within the state.
LASG informed that 25,000 residents in the state are to benefit from a free medical outreach tagged ‘Alaafia Eko.’
The State’s Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, made the announcement at the Ministry of Health’s Year 2024 Ministerial Briefing held at Bagauda Kaltho Centre, Alausa, Ikeja Lagos.
Abayomi held that the idea will foster several benefits ranging from a robust regulation of medicine flow, improved access to quality drugs, enhanced health planning data alongside an increase in internal revenue generation through drug sales.
The Commisioner, explaining that the establishment of LSEMA, in line with the Federal Government’s mandate for every state to set up a Drug Management Agency, noted that the application of economies of scale during bulk purchases would help maintain a stable prices for essential medicines regardless of economic fluctuations.
Hinting on the ‘Alaafia Eko’ medical outreach, the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi, disclosed that LASG has concluded plans to commence the exercise across the six lagos health districts.
Ogunyemi highlighted the significant efforts being made by LASG which includes the ‘Eko Cares’ program which borders on the provision of free, comprehensive medical check-ups to Lagos residents.
She said that on the 30th of May, each district will have four units, aiming to serve about a thousand citizens per unit, totalling approximately 25,000 individuals across the six districts.