Sanwo-Olu Seeks Partnership On Domestication Of NHIA Act

Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has urged critical stakeholders in the state’s health insurance value chain to support, partners and cooperate with the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) to domesticate the National Health Insurance Authority Act of May, 2022 and also ensure compliance with the provision of the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS) law.

Sanwo-Olu who stated this yesterday at the maiden Lagos State Health Insurance Summit which was held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, noted that the support of all stakeholders will help enable the state Government to guarantee the provision of basic healthcare services to citizens thereby improving their quality of life.

“At the inception of this administration, we made a commitment to improve the quality of life of our people and steer the state towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC), where Lagosians will have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship.

“These services include a full range of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care. This is one of the major goals of the health and environment pillar of the THEMES Plus agenda, with the ‘plus’ representing the incorporation of an intensified focus on social inclusion, gender equality and youth development in these next four years”, he said.

Governor Sanwo-Olu who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye explained that his administration rode on the existing LSHS law to bring the promise of UHC to reality.

He added that the law makes it mandatory for all residents of Lagos to possess a health plan in order to have access to quality healthcare services thereby reducing out-of-pocket expenses on health and ameliorating the financial hardship caused by payment of huge medical bills.

“This mandatory provision of the LSHS law was further reinforced when the Federal Government enacted the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act in May, 2022 and provided for the establishment and implementation of the mandatory Social Health Insurance schemes in all States of the Federation, in order to steer the country towards the attainment of universal health coverage.

“The domestication of the Act in Lagos State will enable the government to guarantee the provision of basic healthcare services to the citizens thereby improving their quality of life. To this end, I have issued an Executive Order for the commencement of the domestication of the NHIA Act and the implementation of LSHS.