The Lagos State Government has expanded access to essential medicines under its ILERA EKO Social Health Insurance Scheme by integrating community pharmacies into the programme, a move aimed at extending healthcare services to underserved and hard-to-reach areas.
The announcement was made during the 2025 edition of the ILERA EKO Annual Provider Forum, organized by the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) in Ikeja.
1 The forum brought together over 800 healthcare providers and stakeholders under the theme, “Driving Universal Health Coverage through Strategic Partnerships.”
In his keynote address, Chairman of the LASHMA Board, Dr. Adebayo Adedewe, lauded the resilience and professionalism of healthcare providers, emphasizing that their role remains central to the scheme’s success.
He highlighted recent reforms such as categorizing providers based on performance, revising tariffs to cushion economic pressures, and ensuring steady access to essential medicines.
“We’ve expanded access by incorporating community pharmacies into the scheme,” Dr. Adedewe stated. “This ensures continuity of care and deeper penetration across the state.”
He further applauded Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for prioritizing equity by increasing the health insurance equity fund for vulnerable groups from ₦1 billion in 2024 to ₦3 billion in 2025, making Lagos the first Nigerian state to treat such funding as a first-line charge.
Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, disclosed that the enforcement of mandatory health insurance in Lagos—following the Governor’s Executive Order issued in July 2024—will commence in early 2026. She encouraged residents to enroll ahead of enforcement, describing health insurance as a key financial protection tool.
Dr. Zamba also announced structural reforms within LASHMA, including the in-house handling of service authorizations and claims vetting, resulting in faster processing and improved accountability.
She revealed that the agency now has over 865 empanelled providers and is partnering with LASRRA to deploy biometric verification systems for real-time identity confirmation and fraud prevention.
“This forum isn’t just a review of progress,” she said. “It’s a platform for open dialogue, feedback, and co-creation of solutions to strengthen the state’s healthcare system.”
Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, emphasized the need for ongoing collaboration between LASHMA and service providers, noting that mutual understanding is vital for continuous improvement.
“Health insurance protects patients financially and ensures providers receive timely payments—it’s a win-win if we make it work,” he stated.
Chairman of the Healthcare Providers’ Association of Nigeria, Biola Paul-Ozie, praised LASHMA’s leadership and called for further tariff adjustments and innovative service models.
She stressed the importance of ethics and eliminating discriminatory practices, urging providers to deliver care with dignity.
Also speaking, Njide Ndili, President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria and Country Director of PharmAccess, commended LASHMA for pioneering an incentive-based quality framework that rewards providers based on SafeCare standards.
“Trust is critical. When citizens are confident in care quality, they are more likely to prepay and support the system’s sustainability,” she said.
The event concluded with the unveiling of ILERA EKO Provider Signages and an award ceremony recognizing outstanding healthcare facilities for clinical excellence, audit compliance, data quality, enrolment efforts, and overall service delivery.
The forum underscored Lagos State’s commitment to achieving Universal Health Coverage through strategic partnerships, innovation, and strong provider engagement.