LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- Under the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, thousands of Lagos residents enrolled in the state’s free one-year health insurance programme, which now offers expanded medical coverage plan.
The update was announced during a medical outreach held in Festac by the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority in partnership with the Lagos State Health Management Agency.
Officials said the programme is part of the Lagos State Government’s effort to improve access to affordable healthcare through the ILERA EKO health insurance scheme.
Residents can now access surgeries, maternal healthcare, specialist consultations and family planning services.
Speaking at the outreach, the Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Bashir Are, represented by Kazeem Olanipekun, said the initiative was introduced under the directive of Babajide Sanwo-Olu to improve the health and wellbeing of residents across the state.
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“We try as much as possible to reach every part of Lagos State. This programme, created by the Lagos State Health and Management Agency, is intended to provide quality healthcare services to residents in towns and communities that make up the Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas of Lagos State,” Are said.
He added that the government is working to ensure more Lagosians benefit from quality healthcare services through accredited hospitals and primary healthcare centres.
“At the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, we are supporting the State to reach as many people as possible, because it’s a State Government mandate. We are giving this opportunity to our people for quality and proper Ilera Eko; our people must be healthy,” he stated.
Representative of the Lagos State Health Management Agency, Lucas Aladeusi, explained that the insurance package is not limited to government-owned hospitals alone.
“We need to tell Lagosians that we are not restricted to public hospitals and primary healthcare centres, we are also partnering with private hospitals and clinics within and outside Lagos State,” Aladeusi said.
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Aladeusi further revealed that the scheme now covers both major and minor surgeries, clinical tests, antenatal and postnatal care, specialist consultations, family planning and patient registration services.
“The Agency has gone a step further by expanding the access to minor and major surgeries, clinical tests, antenatal and postnatal care, family planning, in addition to the patient’s registration, general and specialist consultations, among others,” he added.
According to officials, the outreach programme has already been held in Lagos Island, Agege and Ikorodu before moving to Festac, with plans to reach more communities across the state.
The agency also disclosed that 1,320 residents across Lagos three senatorial districts recently received free one-year health insurance coverage under the ILERA EKO initiative.
Health experts say the programme could help reduce the financial burden many families face when seeking medical treatment, especially with rising healthcare costs and increasing demand for accessible medical services in Nigeria.
