The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has announced a policy overhaul of the Lagos State Health Scheme, targeting abuses in enrollment practices while expanding access to emergency healthcare, rural medical services and digital consultations.
The reforms, scheduled to take effect from August 1, 2026, are aimed at addressing what the agency described as “seasonal enrollment”, a practice in which individuals enroll in the state’s health insurance programme only when they require expensive medical procedures and subsequently exit the scheme after receiving treatment.
Speaking at the Lagos State Health Scheme’s second-quarter media parley held at The Good Shepherd House in Alausa, Ikeja, the Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, said the development poses a significant threat to the sustainability of social health insurance.
“We have observed with concern that many citizens only register for the Lagos State Health Scheme a few months before they need to access specific, expensive medical procedures which would otherwise cost them fortunes out-of-pocket,” Zamba said.
“After enjoying these comprehensive ILERA EKO services, these individuals leave the scheme, only returning when they face another costly medical intervention.”
She warned that such intermittent participation undermines the principles upon which social health insurance is built.
“This attitude is highly unhealthy for the long-term sustainability of social health insurance. The upcoming policy revisions are specifically designed to address these opportunistic practices while safeguarding vulnerable populations who genuinely cannot afford health insurance premiums and those utilising the flexible Pay-Small-Small option,” she stated.
Zamba stressed that achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) requires sustained commitment from government, healthcare providers and residents.
“Universal Health Coverage is a continuous journey that requires the collective responsibility of all stakeholders in Lagos State,” she said.
At the event, the agency unveiled its comprehensive operational scorecard since inception, highlighting milestones recorded under the ILERA EKO scheme and the state’s broader healthcare financing framework.
According to the permanent secretary, access to reliable data remains critical to sustaining social health insurance programmes.
“Accurate and accessible data is the primary key to the sustainability of any social health scheme. The published figures demonstrate how Lagos State has successfully provided affordable and quality healthcare to millions of residents while maintaining structural accountability,” she said.
The agency also highlighted the impact of its emergency healthcare interventions, particularly the Lagos State Health Management Agency Assistance in Distress (LASHMA-AID) initiative and the Emergency Service Programme.
“It will be recalled that on December 18, 2025, the agency launched the LASHMA Assistance in Distress initiative in compliance with the standing Executive Order. This was followed by the commencement of the Emergency Service Programme in March 2026, targeting vulnerable residents and active ILERA EKO enrollees,” Zamba explained.
She disclosed that the emergency interventions had already delivered significant results.
“We are pleased to report that these emergency interventions have successfully saved 18 lives within just a few months of active operations,” she said.
The permanent secretary also reviewed progress made in enforcing mandatory health insurance across the Lagos State public service.
According to her, formal enforcement commenced across ministries, departments and agencies on February 1, 2026, following the inauguration of a dedicated enforcement team by the Head of Service, Mr. Olabode Agoro.
“While significant progress and high compliance rates have been recorded within government institutions, we have simultaneously intensified strategic pre-enforcement activities targeting the informal sector,” she said.
As part of efforts to expand healthcare access to underserved communities, Zamba highlighted the launch of the EKO Social Health Alliance (EKOSHA) Rural Health Scheme in Agboyi Ori-Omi under Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area.
“In line with our mantra, ‘ILERA EKO, Leaving No One Behind,’ we recently launched the EKOSHA Rural Health Scheme to ensure that residents in underserved communities without functional primary healthcare centres can still access quality medical services through mobile health infrastructure,” she said.
She added that the agency had entered into a new partnership to extend healthcare coverage to riverine communities facing geographical barriers to conventional medical services.
The agency further disclosed that 72 health journalists, their spouses and dependents had been enrolled in the Lagos State Health Scheme free of charge for one year as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration with the media.
“The taste of the pudding is in the eating. We encourage enrolled journalists to access healthcare services whenever necessary and provide honest feedback that can help improve service delivery,” Zamba said.
To deepen public access to healthcare while reducing pressure on hospitals, she urged residents to embrace the agency’s telemedicine platform.
“Enrollees can consult medical practitioners 24 hours a day in Yoruba, English, Igbo, Hausa or Pidgin through audio or video calls. They can receive prescriptions, diagnostic requests and referrals directly on their phones at no extra cost,” she said.
The Lagos State Health Scheme remains one of the flagship initiatives of the state government aimed at achieving universal health coverage by ensuring that residents have access to affordable, quality and equitable healthcare services regardless of their income level.
