• Two govt agencies collaborate to drive process
Lagos State Government has said that three years after the state’s health insurance programme, Ilera Eko scheme kicked off, only 1.06 million residents have registered.
Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Dr Emmanuella Zamba, disclosed this, yesterday, during a joint media briefing with Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) to announce collaboration between the two agencies to drive registration for the health insurance scheme.
Zamba stated that LASHMA, since the commencement of its full operations in 2021, is working relentlessly to ensure that residents in the state enrol for the scheme.
“To date, the agency has about 1,064,897 enrollees on its database in spite of many efforts to create awareness, sensitisation and enlightenment of the residents about the scheme and the need for enrolment.
“As we speak, for the agency to reach out to the informal sector, which is the primary target, the agency has established five divisional offices, 14 sub-divisional offices and 16 kiosks spread across the state.
“Furthermore, LASHMA also has foot-soldiers, known as enrolment officers that visit the nooks and crannies of the state to enrol residents. We have also embarked on various programmes to sensitise residents at the grassroots.”
On her part, General Manager of LASRRA, Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, stated that LASRRA serves as the gateway to essential services provided by the state government.
She said: “I want to specifically emphasise two key benefits that registration with LASRRA affords: Access to the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme and seamless access to a plethora of Lagos State services.
“Firstly, through LASRRA registration, residents gain effortless access to LASHMA. This health insurance scheme is designed to ensure that every resident of Lagos State can access quality healthcare services without financial constraints. By registering with LASRRA, individuals and families become eligible for its coverage, providing them with peace of mind, knowing that their healthcare needs are covered.
“Secondly, registering with LASRRA serves as a gateway to accessing various services offered by the state, be it educational support, housing initiatives, social welfare programmes, business development opportunities and transport services. It ensures that no resident is left behind in government’s efforts to build a stronger, more inclusive Lagos.”
Adebiyi-Abiola, therefore, implored every resident of the state to take advantage of registering with LASRRA towards enjoying the dividends of good governance and unlocking the full spectrum of services offered by the state government.
