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Lagos Targets 10% Health Insurance Penetration In Its First Year Through LSHS

Health	3896 VIEWS
Health
3896 VIEWS

Friday, February 08, 2019 02.30PM / Bukola Akinyele for Proshare WebTV

The Lagos State Government has stated plans to achieve 10% penetration of its recently launched Health Insurance Scheme in the first year.

The Commissioner of Health in Lagos State Dr. Jide Idris stated this at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) consultative forum on Health Insurance Scheme.

Dr Idris who was the keynote speaker at the event said the healthcare sector in Nigeria is poorly funded, whether at the federal, state or the local government.

He believed through advocacy, stakeholder engagement and increased awareness the LHIS target penetration can be achieved in the first year of its launch.

For the first year 10% of the population is being targeted which Idris considered not over ambitious; at the end of the first year more people are expected to be enrolled.

In terms of health expenditure to GDP, he said the Federal government investment is 2% , while that of Lagos is 1% which are both very low.

According to him “For Lagos State, which is driven by private sector, with an increasing population; 60% of the populace get their healthcare service from the private-sector medical services.

Speaking further he noted that the federal government has been operating the National Health Insurance Scheme for over 10 years, which is the key to development.

The Commissioner said the key objective of the LSHS is to increase access to healthcare and particularly quality service which will be affordable and accessible.

Giving further insight into the scheme he said “The law states that every resident of Lagos state must enroll for this scheme, with an agency which is called LASHMA that is responsible for overseeing and implementing the scheme. The State is to create policies and the agencies to implement those policies”.

The LHIS according to him will give top priority to maternal and child healthcare service.

In the area of gaining the confidence of the populace, the Commissioner was of the view that quality healthcare service from the public and private hospitals was vital.

In his opening remarks the Chairman of the Medical, Pharmaceutical and Allied Service Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr Adekunle Megbuwawon said the LHIS forum was an opportunity for stakeholders, to gain insight on the health insurance scheme and the various roles to be played, which include;

Hospitals as service providers
Health Maintenance Organization(HMOs) as intermediaries
The State government as Umpire

He said “The Lagos Chamber of Commerce serves as an advocacy group to talk to government and people, to promote policies that will improve people’s lives. We also push and assess areas where there are gaps in government policy”.

About the Lagos State Health Scheme

The Lagos State Health Scheme is a compulsory health insurance program established by the enabling law of Lagos State, to ensure all residents of Lagos state have access to affordable and qualitative healthcare.

LSHS is for all residents of Lagos State registered with LASRAA

Enrolment is per family of Six (Father, Mother and Four Children) while Single/Unit enrolment is also accommodated.

In terms of Premiums the figures are as follows;

N40,000 per year for Family of Six (3,850 per month, N11,55o per quarter) Additional Family member will cost N6,000 per year (7oo per month, 2,100 per quarter)
N8,500 per year for Single (820 per month, 2,460 per quarter)
Premium discounts is available for Large group enrolment

For healthcare delivery the Primary Healthcare centre is the first point of call for all enrolees and serves as a gateway for referrals.

Benefits of the Lagos State Health Scheme

Family Planning and Counselling
Adolescent Reproductive Healthcare
Health Education
Emergency Health Services
Antenatal and Postnatal care
Normal delivery and Caeserian section
Prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV
Immunization
Growth monitoring and promotion
Management of childhood illnesses

Monitoring, Service Delivery and Regulation

The Lagos State governments has noted that the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) and Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) will ensure provision of qualitative services and value for money spent in all facilities.