By Toochi Ejiofor
Edited by Bababunmi Agbebi
Stakeholders across Ikeja gathered at the Ikeja Local Government on Friday for a community engagement and stakeholders meeting focused on strengthening healthcare access and advancing universal health coverage.
The event, organised by Ikeja Local Government in collaboration with Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) and Lagos State Health District VI, brought together traditional rulers, market women, community leaders, artisans and health officials to discuss the role of community collaboration and ownership in improving healthcare delivery at the grassroots level.
Representing the Executive Chairman, Prince Adeyinka Illo, described healthcare as a critical pillar of human development. He highlighted the impact of Ilera Eko and Ilera Ibile in reducing the financial burden on residents. To further this goal, Illo announced the Chairman’s commitment to sponsoring healthcare coverage for 500 indigent residents and non-pensionable local government staff.
“As a local government, we recognise the importance of grassroots participation in achieving universal health coverage,” he said. “The Executive Chairman will be paying for 500 indigent residents of the Ikeja Local Government, including non-pension living staff of the local government. We have also provided a space for LASHMA kiosks inside the council for continuous registration of this exercise.”
The Ilera Eko Insurance Scheme is part of the Lagos State Health Scheme, providing basic primary healthcare and some secondary care services for both formal and informal sector workers in Lagos State.
Tosin Awosika, the Coordinator of Regulations for LASHMA, explained that the initiative follows an executive order making social health insurance mandatory in the state.
“We decided to engage stakeholders across all 57 local governments to get their buy-in and increase enrollment,” he said, adding that community leaders play a crucial role in reaching residents at the grassroots level and ensuring wider adoption of the scheme.
The Iyaloja of Ikeja LG, Alhaja Adiat Apena, described the programme as a welcome development for market women and traders within Ikeja.
“This is the first of its kind in Lagos state, and we are very happy to have this type of opportunity because market people don’t really want to spend their money on anything, especially on treatment. So, this one is coming as a gift to all marketers.”
Cynthia Kukoyi, an analyst at Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), described the engagement as successful and commended the Ikeja Local Government Chairman for sponsoring 500 vulnerable residents under the scheme. She added that the partnership between LASHMA and Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) would help ensure that more Lagos residents are enrolled under the Ilera Eko health insurance scheme.
“We are going to make sure this whole executive order is realised, and then nobody is left behind at all in Lagos state,” she stated.
The stakeholders’ meeting forms part of ongoing efforts by the Lagos State Government and the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) to expand access to quality, affordable health services for all Lagos residents.
