Sanwo-Olu rallies health insurance stakeholders behind NHIA Act, opens maiden summit
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has urged critical stakeholders in the state health insurance value chain to support, partner and cooperate with the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) to domesticate the National Health Insurance Authority Act of May, 2022.
It also implored them to ensure compliance with the provision of the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS) law.
Sanwo-Olu, who stated this, yesterday, at the maiden Lagos State Health Insurance Summit, noted that the support of all stakeholders would enable the state government to provide basic healthcare services to citizens, thereby improving their quality of life.
The governor, who was represented by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogboye, said the administration rode on the existing LSHS law to bring the promise of UHC to reality.
He added that the law makes it mandatory for all residents of Lagos State to possess a health plan to enable them have access to quality healthcare services, thereby reducing out-of-pocket expenses on health and ameliorating the financial hardship caused by payment of huge medical bills.
nwo-Olu, who also officially unveiled the Ilera-Eko virtual booth at the summit, said his administration would implement some strategies geared towards digital healthcare coverage for health services to be accessed remotely.
He said the Ilera-Eko virtual booth was an initiative created by LASHMA, in partnership with Sterling Bank, to provide easy access to healthcare services in the state.
He noted that 300 kiosks would be strategically placed in fixed locations within local councils across Lagos State and manned by community health workers or registered nurses.
He added that virtual access to doctors would be provided using telemedicine, while prescription would be taken to the nearest community pharmacy for dispense.
Earlier, wife of the governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Mrs Olayemi Oke-Osanyintolu, expressed optimism that the maiden health insurance summit would spur ideas and strategies poised at providing residents with access to needed health services, including prevention, promotion, treatment and rehabilitation of sufficient quality and ensuring the users are not exposed to financial hardship.
