Drive health insurance uptake, LASHMA tasks Lagos media -- Zamba

By Admin

The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) wants journalists to drive public awareness and uptake of the state’s mandatory health insurance scheme, warning that the policy cannot succeed if residents remain uninformed or distrust the system.

The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, who gave the charge  at a two-day capacity-building programme for journalists on the Lagos State Health Scheme  and Ilera Eko, said the media must become a stronger force for explaining health insurance, challenging misinformation, exposing gaps and holding institutions accountable.

“Policies alone do not guarantee success; their effectiveness depends on understanding, cooperation and participation, the media therefore has a critical responsibility to explain policies accurately, dispel myths, amplify impact and hold institutions accountable.”

Her message came as the state pushes ahead with mandatory health insurance for all residents under an Executive Order signed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on July 16, 2024.

“In a megacity like Lagos, health insurance is essential to protecting residents from catastrophic healthcare expenses, providing peace of mind, strengthening the health system and promoting sustainable healthcare financing,” she said.

She urged journalists to use their platforms to explain what ILERA EKO offers, how residents can enrol and access services, while also questioning shortcomings that could undermine confidence in the scheme.

Zamba said LASHMA was investing in media capacity because public awareness and trust would determine whether mandatory health insurance translated into actual coverage.

The agency trained additional 36 journalists following the 56 trained in February 2026 under the first phase of the initiative.

The journalists, their family members and dependants, received one year of free health insurance coverage from LASHMA.

The state has also increased its Equity Fund for vulnerable residents from N1 billion to N3 billion, financed through one percent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

FG backs robotic surgery to curb medical tourism

By Damilola Samuel

The Federal Government has given approval to the introduction of robotic surgery in Nigeria, saying the technology could help reduce the number of Nigerians travelling abroad for specialised medical treatment.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, who stated this in Lagos during the launch of the robotic surgery programme at Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV), said bringing advanced surgical procedures into the country would give Nigerians access to specialised care at home, without the need to seek treatment abroad.

Salako urged Nigerians to take advantage of the country’s growing healthcare capacity, saying the development demonstrated that high-level medical care could now be delivered locally.

“The best in the world are now converging here, and I urge all of us to patronise when the need arises. A farmer from Ondo, a teacher from Ekiti, a trader from Ogun or any part of Nigeria will no longer need a passport to access world-class surgical intervention," he stated.

Salako said the new programme could make specialised surgery more accessible to Nigerians across the country.

The robotic surgery programme is being implemented through a partnership between RHV and RoboMed Global Inc., a Nigerian diaspora-led company based in the United States, with an investment of about $4 million.

Salako said the partnership aligns with the Federal Government’s efforts to attract investment, expertise and technology into Nigeria’s health sector.

He added that the government would continue to support private healthcare providers, who, he noted, deliver more than half of healthcare services in the country.

The minister linked the development to government initiatives, including the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain and the Presidential Executive Order on the Health Sector. The initiatives are aimed at strengthening local healthcare capacity and encouraging investment in the sector.

The programme, Salako said, would go beyond providing treatment. It would also create an opportunity to train Nigerian surgeons in the use of robotic technology.

He explained that interested surgeons from across the country would have access to a structured training and certification programme, enabling them to develop skills in advanced surgical procedures.

Such training, he said, would help Nigerian doctors keep pace with advances in medical technology while building the country’s own pool of specialists.

Salako commended the management of Redeemer’s Health Village and other partners involved in the project, describing the programme as an example of how investment, technology and collaboration could improve healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

He said the Federal Government would continue to work with private healthcare providers and Nigerians in the diaspora to expand access to specialised treatment.

He added that the government’s long-term goal was to build a health system where quality healthcare is available within the country and remains affordable and accessible to Nigerians.