By Kemi Akintokun
The Ilera Eko health insurance scheme of the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) offers different healthcare packages tailored to the needs of individuals, families, senior citizens, students and more.
The scheme also has a package that caters for Nigerians in the diaspora seeking healthcare coverage for their relatives in Lagos, providing different options with varying premiums.
A crucial package of the scheme is the Senior’s Plan, designed for residents aged 60 and above requiring specialised healthcare attention.
The plan costs N60,000 annually for an individual and N100,000 annually for a couple, with coverage including enhanced specialist access, physiotherapy, routine checks and more.
The elderly are one of the most vulnerable groups in the society, owing to the enormous health challenges that comes with aging.
The Ilera Eko Senior Plan, if properly utilised, would ensure that this category of Lagos residents get access to basic and comprehensive care to enhance their quality of life
Speaking on the various plans, Mr Olatunji Rotimi, the Head of Business Development, LASHMA, affirmed that Ilera Eko had different packages designed to meet the healthcare needs of various categories of residents.
Rotimi made this known during a two-day capacity-building programme organised for journalists to further enlighten them on the Lagos State Social Health Scheme.
It also focused on the scheme’s benefits package, enrollment process, service delivery, grievance mechanisms, and the rights and responsibilities of enrollees
He explained that the Standard Ilera Eko Plan costs from N15,000 per individual annually, while the Standard Ilera Eko Plus Plan costs N40,000 per individual annually.
According to him, other packages under the scheme attract different premiums, depending on the category and coverage provided.
The head of business development noted that residents who could not afford the premium were usually assessed for coverage through the state’s equity fund.
He said during emergency cases, patients were expected to receive life-saving stabilisation before issues concerning insurance enrolments were addressed.
Rotimi urged residents to enrol online through its official platform, at designated LASHMA offices and kiosks, or through accredited agents.
LASHMA said broad compliance with Ilera Eko would help reduce out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure, spread health risks across the population and move Lagos closer to universal health coverage.
The agency also urged journalists to intensify public enlightenment on the mandatory requirement for health insurance coverage among residents.
Also commenting, Mrs Vivian Ihechu, President, Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN), commended LASHMA for the bouquet of health plans to suit every social economic strata in the state.
She also commended the agency for empowering health writers with critical insights to boost state health insurance scheme coverage significantly.
Ihechu lauded the Ilera Eko Senior Citizen Plan, highlighting its role in providing affordable, dignified, and accessible medical services for the state’s aging population.
The HEWAN President urged media practitioners to step down acquired training knowledge, translating complex health insurance benefits into accessible, actionable public information for communities.
She stressed that clear, impactful journalism would drive grassroots enrollment, ensuring underserved families understand how to leverage available state-sponsored health coverage and protection mechanisms.
“By simplifying health policy details, reporters directly help bridge information gaps, breaking down systemic barriers that restricted timely medical intervention for ordinary citizens.
“Enhanced media advocacy accelerates equitable healthcare access, ensuring more residents actively participate in schemes designed to protect against catastrophic out-of-pocket health expenses.”
She emphasised that sustained journalistic commitment remained fundamental to achieving Universal Health Coverage targets, ultimately safeguarding public health outcomes across the entire state efficiently.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Vivian Ihechu
