The Lagos State Government has announced its compulsory Health Insurance Scheme what will provide equal access to all residents will soon kick off.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris made this known during a media capacity-building workshop organized by the Ministry of Health in partnership with Health Finance and Governance.
HE revealed the Lagos state government is ready to partner with the private sector to provide affordable and qualitative health as the government cannot bear the burden alone.
He said, “Lagos has the largest population of health workers but inadequate for what needs to be done. The bulk of our budget in health goes to payment of salary, that is why we considered health insurance.
“Before now, we have always run free health services for health workers and members of the public. But we realize that nothing is free; we do not have the amount of money required to run free health services. That is why at this stage everybody must contribute”.
“Finance is one of the key components of building quality health system; without that, many things cannot work effectively. Our health insurance scheme is compulsory, globally, no country with voluntary scheme has been successful,” he concluded.
Speaking on the different packages available under the scheme, the General Manager of Lagos State Health Management Agency, Dr. Peju Adenusi said the highest package in the schemes N40,000 which covers a family of sixer annum.
Speaking further on the insurance packages, he said “Full subsidies for five percent coverage of the very poor. Single person will pay N8,500 while additional family member is N6,000.
“Public servants in the state will pay 25 percent of their contributions, while the government pays 75 percent. “The scheme will cover antenatal and postnatal care, normal delivery and cesarean section, care of newborn, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, immunization, growth monitoring and promotion. “Management of childhood illnesses, family planning, and counseling, prevention and control of malaria, non-communicable diseases, diabetes, hypertension, emergency health services, minor surgeries, anesthesia, dental care, among others,” he concluded.
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