Lagos restates commitment to make health insurance scheme accessible

 

The Lagos State Government has restated its commitment to increase access to quality and affordable health care service through the implementation of its much awaited Health Insurance Scheme (LSHS).
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris who disclosed this at the end of the 2017 State Council on Health Meeting held recentlystated that the implementation of the LSHS lends credence to the State Government’s position that all people and communities should have access to needed promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services.
Dr. Idris noted that this year’s session, with the theme: “Universal Health Coverage – Working Towards a Sustainable Health Care Agenda” is especially significant because Lagos is on the verge of commencing the State Health Scheme (LSHS).He explained that the journey to having a State Health Insurance Scheme has been a long but purposeful one, stressing that the seed was planted at the beginning of the democratic dispensation in 1999 as a necessary strategic intervention towards the State’s Health Sector Reform.

Idris informed that the State Government’s resolve to have its own scheme is underscored by the fact that the health financing policy was a major point of discussion at the last two State Councils on Health meeting in 2013 and 2015.

The State Council on Health is the highest policy advisory body on health in Lagos State and it provides a veritable forum for dialogue between a broad spectrum of decision makers, policy implementers and key stakeholders from all spheres of the Lagos Health Sector.