LAGOS MAKES HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATORY FOR RESIDENTS

The Lagos State Government has reiterated that health insurance is mandatory for all residents, with the subsidised Ilera Eko scheme available at N15,000 annually for individuals.

The Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, disclosed this during an inspection of the ongoing construction of the 150-bed Shomolu Specialist General Hospital.

Abayomi said the policy was introduced through a 2024 executive order that domesticated the National Health Insurance Authority Act 2022 in Lagos. The Lagos State Health Management Agency administers the state’s health insurance schemes.

He explained that residents without insurance would have to pay out of pocket for services such as hospital registration, laboratory tests, admission and medication, which could increase the financial burden on households.

The N15,000 annual Ilera Eko plan, equivalent to about N1,250 monthly, covers doctors’ consultations, antenatal and childbirth services, treatment for malaria and fever, management of hypertension and diabetes, laboratory investigations, simple surgeries and specialist consultations.

The package also provides for up to 15 days of hospitalisation annually.

Abayomi said government subsidies and risk pooling helped keep the premium affordable, noting that the unsubsidised cost would be about N100,000 per person annually.

He, however, warned that policyholders could still incur additional costs for treatments excluded from their plans or services that exceed applicable limits.

The commissioner urged residents to understand the benefits and limitations of their insurance plans before seeking medical care.