LASHMA seeks more participation in health scheme

The call has again been made for more citizens’ participation in the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme managed by the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA). A former Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly House Committee on Health Services, Avoseh Hodewu Suru, made the call recently during the health walk-out organised by LASHMA to commemorate this year’s health week.

Avoseh, whose committee gave birth to the agency in 2015, said the scheme was aimed at ensuring that quality healthcare is made available to all. He explained that LASHMA was the state’s response to domesticating the national health insurance scheme and make healthcare available to all at the most affordable cost.

The lawmaker, who is now a Commissioner in the Lagos State Civil Service Commission, however cautioned that the agency must ensure that the scheme continues to work for the people for whom it was designed, and not be short-changed by Health Management Organisations (HMO) or health providers, who are offering their services under the scheme.

He equally explained that the payable premiums, whether as individuals or family, is not like ajo contributions which you could collect at the end of the year. Avoseh added that such monies would go into a common pool to be made available to anyone in need of funds to access healthcare anywhere in the state. “I have had cause to call the General Manager on some infractions we have observed. The scheme must be made to work for the people; this is the only way to achieve the health for all.”

While speaking, Dr Adetokunbo Alakija, Chairman of LASHMA Board, urged Lagosians to massively embrace the health scheme. He said LASHMA will strive to ensure that healthcare is made available to everyone in line with the mandate of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu whose desire is to make healthcare available to the masses of the people. “LASHMA is out to ensure that government succeeds in the healthcare in line with the THEMES agenda of the present administration and we would continue to appeal to our people to embrace this initiative which has proved to make health available to all,” Alakija said.

He disclosed that all civil servants in the state are already captured in the scheme and urged all other citizens to join to ensure that the state leads in the advocacy to capture all in the universal healthcare. The health advocacy saw many drawn from several HMOs, civil society and other members of the society participate in aerobics, and Salsa dance exercises to tune their bodies. The LASHMA workers were led to the park by Dr Emmanuella Zamba, General Manager, while other dignitaries at the event are the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Ore Finnih.

Adeyinka Aderibigbe

The Nation

https://thenationonlineng.net/lashma-seeks-more-participation-in-health-scheme/