LASHMA Unveils New Systems, Rallies General Hospitals To Drive Social Health Insurance Compliance

The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has held a strategic engagement with Medical Directors of General Hospitals across the state to drive the implementation of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Executive Order mandating social health insurance for all residents.

The meeting, held in Ikeja, focused on the critical role of public secondary health facilities in enforcing compliance and advancing universal health coverage, as healthcare providers remain central to translating policy into measurable impact for residents.

Declaring the session open, the Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, stressed that Medical Directors, as leaders of public secondary healthcare institutions, bear significant responsibility for operationalising the policy. She explained that General Hospitals are expected to verify proof of enrolment, provide services to enrollees, and facilitate on-the-spot registration for uninsured patients at the point of care.

Dr. Zamba further outlined key operational expectations for healthcare providers, including the immediate stabilisation of patients in life-threatening emergencies before insurance verification, in line with the governor’s directive. She added that treatment provided on the day of enrolment would only become billable after plan activation, underscoring the need for strict adherence to approved guidelines.

She disclosed that LASHMA has introduced enrollee verification systems, provider-led enrolment processes and a structured emergency services framework, LASHMA-AID, scheduled for formal launch on Thursday, December 18, 2025. According to her, the initiatives are designed to support hospitals and ensure seamless enforcement of the mandate.

In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Health Service Commission (HSC), Dr. Abimbola Mabogunje, said the engagement provided a platform for frank discussions on challenges facing hospitals and practical solutions for improvement. She noted that health insurance offers financial protection for families and supports universal health coverage by reducing out-of-pocket payments.

She urged General Hospitals, as government-owned secondary facilities, to take the lead in implementing the scheme, adding that their multi-specialty nature uniquely positions them to deliver comprehensive insured care. Mabogunje also called on LASHMA to remain responsive to providers’ concerns, stressing that sustained collaboration is critical to success.

In a presentation, the Coordinator, Regulations at LASHMA, Mr. Tosin Awosika, highlighted expectations for healthcare facilities, including the establishment of functional ILERA EKO desks, provision of 24-hour support for enrollees, on-site registration of uninsured patients and strict avoidance of derogatory remarks about the scheme. He said compliance was key to reducing out-of-pocket spending and improving public confidence.

Also speaking, the Head of ILERA EKO Medical at LASHMA, Dr. Olugbenga Fadipe, addressed recurring service delivery challenges identified through enrollee feedback and monitoring. He called on Medical Directors to strengthen internal coordination, ensure proper interpretation of benefit packages, and address staffing and workflow gaps, while also requesting dedicated hospital communication channels and consistent senior-level participation in engagement meetings.