By Ayomide Otitoju
The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) on Tuesday unveiled two new health insurance packages aimed at Nigerians living abroad and visitors to the state, marking a significant expansion of its Ilera-Eko diaspora offerings. The announcement was made during LASHMA’s 2025 Fourth Quarter Media Parley in Alausa, with stakeholders hailing the initiative as a strategic move to enhance access, strengthen health financing, and advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, said the new plans—Ilera-Eko Waka-Well and Ilera-Eko Home Konnect—respond to growing demand from diasporans and the need to protect residents and visitors under Lagos State’s mandatory health insurance framework. She noted that the launch aligns with the upcoming UHC Day, emphasizing the Agency’s commitment to inclusive healthcare.
Dr. Zamba highlighted that LASHMA’s quarterly media parleys, launched in March 2025, have become a trusted platform for informing the public about policy reforms, innovations, and achievements under the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS). She cited previous initiatives such as the Ilera-N’tiwa Cooperative, Ilera-Eko Academy, telemedicine services, and Ilera-Eko Spotlight Online Radio, Nigeria’s first health insurance radio platform, as examples of LASHMA’s drive to improve enrolment and service delivery.
The Permanent Secretary revealed that LASHMA partnered with private-sector stakeholders, including Pinnacle Global Business Services, Nomad Doc Limited, and Mrs. Taiwo Salvador, to promote the diaspora packages both locally and internationally. She explained that splitting the offerings into two distinct plans would better serve travelers, diasporans, and families abroad seeking sustainable health coverage for loved ones in Lagos.
Dr. Zamba also assured residents that recent adjustments to maternal and surgical services have produced positive results without affecting the benefits under the social health insurance plan, which continues to cover antenatal care, normal and cesarean deliveries, and eligible surgeries.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Olanrewaju Bajulaiye, described Ilera-Eko as the most affordable health package in Lagos. He highlighted its cost-effectiveness, noting that a family of six could access full coverage for as little as ₦180–₦220 per day—less than the cost of a sachet of paracetamol. He urged media professionals to amplify awareness of the scheme and encouraged Lagosians to leverage the mandatory enrolment under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Executive Order.
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Diaspora and Foreign Relations, Mr. Jermaine Sanwo-Olu, praised the initiative as a groundbreaking innovation in the African health insurance ecosystem. He said the Waka-Well plan targets diasporans and visitors during festive periods, particularly “Detty December,” while Home Konnect offers reliable coverage for families of Nigerians living abroad, reducing dependence on irregular medical remittances.
LASHMA’s Head of Business Development, Mr. Rotimi Olatunji, outlined the specifics: the Waka-Well plan covers common travel-related illnesses, diagnostics, emergency care, telemedicine, dental and eye services, and local ambulance evacuation, with premiums of ₦45,000 for a 90-day stay and ₦75,000 for multiple trips or extended stays. The plan targets tourists, charity workers, researchers, sports teams, cultural groups, and non-immigrants, with over 550,000 Nigerians arriving through Lagos airports by mid-November 2024, spending more than ₦350 billion during the season.
The Home Konnect plan allows diasporans to pay premiums remotely for families in Lagos, covering consultations, physiotherapy, chronic disease management, surgeries, maternal care, newborn services, and annual wellness screenings. The plan addresses the needs of more than 20 million Nigerians living abroad.
CEO of Pinnacle Global Business Services Ltd, Mr. Akande Ojo, reaffirmed his company’s commitment to promoting the diaspora packages globally. Dr. Elizabeth Onifade, Board Chairman of Nomad Doc Ltd, added that the plans would improve health outcomes, reduce financial pressure on families, and ensure continuity of care for vulnerable groups in Lagos.
The media parley also provided journalists with an opportunity to seek clarification on the new plans’ implementation, premiums, and provider networks, with LASHMA promising full documentation to support public awareness campaigns.
Closing the event, Dr. Zamba expressed optimism for 2026, highlighting plans to expand enrolment and strengthen the health insurance culture among youths and other demographics. She thanked journalists, enrollees, and partners for their contributions and reaffirmed LASHMA’s commitment to delivering accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare to all Lagos residents under Governor Sanwo-Olu’s leadership.
