The Lagos State Government has engaged medical directors of general hospitals across the state to accelerate the implementation of the Executive Order on mandatory social health insurance.
The meeting, organised by the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), underscored the critical role of public secondary health facilities in driving compliance and advancing universal health coverage.
The Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr Emmanuella Zamba, described the engagement as a major milestone in the state’s efforts to fully operationalise mandatory social health insurance. She explained that the Executive Order, signed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on July 16, 2024, and reinforced by a Presidential directive in September 2025, places healthcare providers at the centre of translating policy into tangible benefits for residents.
Zamba said the discussions went beyond routine service delivery, noting that medical directors, as leaders of public secondary healthcare institutions, bear significant responsibility for implementing the policy. She stated that general hospitals are expected to verify proof of enrolment, render services to enrollees, and facilitate on-the-spot registration for uninsured patients at the point of care.
She added that patients with life-threatening emergencies must be stabilised immediately before insurance verification, in line with the Executive Order. According to her, treatment provided on the day of enrolment only becomes billable after plan activation, stressing the need for strict adherence to the guidelines.
Zamba also disclosed that LASHMA has introduced enrollee verification systems, provider-led enrolment processes, and a structured emergency services framework known as LASHMA-AID, scheduled for formal launch today. She said the initiatives are designed to support hospitals and ensure seamless enforcement of the mandate.
Permanent Secretary of the Health Service Commission (HSC), Dr Abimbola Mabogunje, described the engagement as long overdue, citing the growing demand for full implementation of the Social Health Insurance Scheme. She said the meeting provided an opportunity for frank discussions on operational challenges and practical solutions to improve insurance uptake.
Mabogunje recalled findings from research indicating that only a small proportion of children accessing care in some public facilities were insured, leaving many families to pay out-of-pocket. She stressed that health insurance offers critical financial protection and is central to achieving Universal Health Coverage.
She urged general hospitals, as government-owned secondary facilities, to take the lead in driving the scheme, noting that their multi-speciality structure positions them to deliver comprehensive insured care. She also encouraged LASHMA to remain responsive to providers’ concerns, emphasising that collaboration is key to success.
The Coordinator of Regulations at LASHMA, Mr Tosin Awosika, outlined the legal and policy foundations of the Executive Order, explaining that it aligns the Lagos State Health Scheme Law with the National Health Insurance Authority Act of 2022. He highlighted provisions mandating compulsory enrolment, verification before accessing services, and special protections for emergency cases and vulnerable residents.
Awosika said hospitals are required to establish functional ILERA EKO desks, provide 24-hour support for enrollees, register uninsured patients on-site, and refrain from making negative remarks about the scheme.
He stressed that hospital compliance is vital to reducing out-of-pocket spending and strengthening public confidence in the system.
Also speaking, the Medical Director of Randle General Hospital, Dr Olumide Sojinrin, pledged the collective support of medical directors to the Health Service Commission and the health insurance programme, noting that the mandatory nature of the scheme leaves no room for retreat.
