General Manager, Lagos State Health Management Agency LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba has disclosed that the state would sanction any of the ILERA EKO healthcare providers that run foul of the existing healthcare practices and standards.
Public Affairs Officer, LASHMA Adeyinka Gbemibade noted that the Agency had been inundated with complaints received from enrollees on healthcare providers.
Quoting Dr. Zamba, she said complaints received from enrollees included hospitals not giving drugs, not admitting patients, not carrying out tests and collecting money from patients on some of the drugs or tests covered among others.
The General Manager added that government would not hesitate to deal decisively with any of such hospital, which is denting the image of the state government or any hospital whose staff treats ILERA EKO enrollees with levity.
While commending the hospitals that are performing credibly and taking care of ILERA EKO enrollees, Zamba said that the Agency would continue to ensure quality healthcare is provided for all Lagos residents.
She cautioned any enrollee against paying for any medical condition covered such as consultation, laboratory tests, admissions for 15 days in a year, treatment of diabetes and hypertension as well as monthly refill of drugs, antenatal and delivery including caesarean section, surgeries such as herniotomy, appendectomy and herniorrhaphy.
Dr. Zamba appealed to enrollees to call the dedicated 24/7 customer service toll-free line 0800ASKLASHMA (0800275527462) or call rate applies line 0700ILERAEKO (070045372356) while at the Hospital for any complaint so that LASHMA could resolve the issue before leaving the hospital.
The General Manager said that enrollees can also send text messages only via WhatsApp to 07046160051 in case they want to obtain a benefits package, Hospital list, information, enquiry or even complaint about the health insurance plan. This information, she added is also available, as posters in the hospitals.
She urged customers to know their rights, pursue and claim them at all times as LASHMA is out to serve them better.
Dr Zamba reiterated that the new National Health Insurance Act (NHIA) signed by President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2022 has made health insurance mandatory for all Nigerians. She, therefore, appealed to Lagos residents who are yet to enrol on the health plan to do so without further delay to adhere to the law and reduce their out-of-pocket payment for medical bills.
Zamba also said intending enrollees can register either at LASHMA Head Office, Alausa, any of the LASHMA five IBILE offices covering Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos and Epe Divisions or ILERA EKO kiosks located in all the LGAs/LCDAs in the State.
She added that Lagos residents can also enroll through the ILERA EKO customer app by dialling *6700*006# on their phones or through USSD or visit website: www.ileraeko.com.
This year, she revealed that 27,222 cases of malaria, 11,400 cases of hypertension, 3,464 diabetic cases and 185 cases of severe asthmatic attacks were treated.
