The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has led a large-scale awareness walk around the Lagos State Government Secretariat, Alausa-Ikeja, to mark the 2025 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day.
Eko Hot News reports that the colourful procession, tagged with the message “Unaffordable health costs? We’re sick of it!”, featured a music band, volunteers, partners and stakeholders who engaged commuters and workers while distributing flyers and stickers on the Ilera-Eko Social Health Insurance Scheme.
Speaking during the walk, the Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr Emmanuella Zamba, described healthcare as a fundamental human right and urged residents to embrace the mandatory Ilera-Eko scheme to avoid catastrophic medical expenses.
Dr Zamba noted that the UHC Day celebration reinforces the need for sustained public awareness on affordable healthcare access, stressing that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Executive Order has made health insurance compulsory for all Lagos residents.
She explained that Ilera-Eko covers up to 80 per cent of residents’ healthcare needs, from primary to tertiary care, at an affordable rate designed to provide long-term financial protection.
Also speaking, the Head of Planning, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at LASHMA, Mrs Adetoro Tayo-Adetoro, said UHC Day is a global reminder that no one should face financial hardship due to medical bills.
She described Ilera-Eko as the engine driving Lagos toward universal health coverage and called for collective responsibility among government, healthcare providers and residents.
Mrs Tayo-Adetoro added that Lagos State remains aligned with global Sustainable Development Goals and urged families to enrol in the scheme to secure reliable and affordable healthcare.
