_Maha Christopher_
Residents enrolled in the free one year health insurance package launched by the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority can now access major and minor surgeries, antenatal and postnatal care, specialist consultations, and family planning services.
According to The Punch, the authority disclosed this during a medical outreach programme held in Festac on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Bashir Are, represented by Kazeem Olanipekun, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to expanding access to quality healthcare across Lagos.
He explained that the free health insurance initiative was being implemented on the directive of Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu to improve the wellbeing of residents through strategic healthcare interventions.
“We try as much as possible to reach every part of Lagos State. This programme is intended to provide quality healthcare services to residents in towns and communities that make up the Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas of Lagos State,” Are said.
He added that the programme was aimed at ensuring Lagos residents have access to quality healthcare services through the ILERA EKO health insurance scheme.
A representative of the Lagos State Health Management Agency, Lucas Aladeusi, noted that the scheme also includes partnerships with private hospitals and clinics within and outside Lagos State.
“We are not restricted to public hospitals and primary healthcare centres, we are also partnering with private hospitals and clinics within and outside Lagos State,” he said.
Aladeusi disclosed that the agency had expanded the range of services covered under the package to include surgeries, clinical tests, antenatal and postnatal care, family planning, specialist consultations, and patient registration.
He said the outreach programme had already covered Lagos Island, Agege, and Ikorodu before reaching Festac.
According to him, the scheme is open to all residents who live and work in Lagos State and is aimed at improving access to affordable and quality healthcare.
Earlier in May, the authority announced that it secured free health insurance coverage for 1,320 residents across the three senatorial districts of the state under the ILERA EKO scheme.
