By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Chairman of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Dr. Oluseyi Jakande, has enrolled 1,000 vulnerable residents into a free health insurance scheme under the Lagos State Social Health Insurance Programme, ILERA EKO, in partnership with the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA).
The initiative was unveiled on Wednesday, 15 April, 2026, at the Odi-Olowo LCDA Event Hall in Ilupeju during a LASHMA Stakeholders’ Engagement Programme tagged “ILERA EKO, ILERA IBILE,” marking the first phase of a statewide grassroots drive to boost enrolment across all 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs and expand access to affordable, quality healthcare.
Addressing stakeholders, Jakande said the intervention reflected his administration’s commitment to people-centred governance, stressing that the programme was designed to improve residents’ well-being.
“Today is not just about policies or programmes; it is about our people, their welfare and especially their overall well-being. It is about the health of our mothers, market women, artisans, fathers and our children whose future depends on good health and sustainability,” he said.
He, however, linked the initiative to his administration’s HEEWA Agenda, describing it as a roadmap for development across health, environment, education, security, agriculture, tourism and culture.
“Health and Environmental Sustainability is the focus of everything we are discussing today,” he added.
Beyond policy statements, the chairman highlighted concrete steps taken to strengthen primary healthcare delivery within the LCDA. He cited the completion of the Kayode Ultramodern Primary Health Centre, alongside upgrades across existing facilities.
He further disclosed that the council restored running water at the SDG Primary Healthcare Centre after a major structural fault and installed six new hand-wash basins. Similarly, he said a 16KVA solar system had been installed at the 24-hour Ayantuga Primary Health Centre to improve service delivery.
In addition, he listed the replacement of a water reservoir tank at Kajol’s Primary Health Centre, as well as repairs to a damaged ceiling and broken soakaway at Ajisegiri Primary Health Centre.
“We are going paperless with the transition to EMR, that is Electronic Medical Record System. We are set to begin pilot anytime from now,” he stated.
On the insurance scheme, Jakande confirmed that the 1,000 beneficiaries would be identified and enrolled at no cost.
“On Monday, we will start the process of registering and enlisting them on LASHMA to get the benefits,” he said.
To drive participation, he noted that stakeholders across religious, traditional and professional groups had been mobilised for sensitisation.
“Today is just to sensitise people within the community so they can understand the benefits of this. That is why LASHMA is also on ground to provide detailed information and answer questions,” he added.
The Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, described the engagement as the first step in a three-phase strategy to deepen health insurance coverage across Lagos State.
She commended Jakande’s intervention and announced his recognition as an EKOSHA Icon.
“He has even promised to pay for 1,000 lives within this local government, which is very commendable,” she said.
Clarifying further, Zamba explained that the chairman’s support would directly cover 500 indigent residents, describing the move as a strong example of responsive leadership.
“He has gone a step further to pay for free lives within Ojuwoye. For us, that is a very big step,” she added.
On funding, she disclosed that the state had increased its Equity Fund for vulnerable residents from N1 billion to N3 billion, now designated as a first-line charge.
“This positions Lagos State as a leader in prioritising healthcare financing for vulnerable populations,” she stated.
She, therefore, urged residents to enrol in the scheme, noting that premiums are set at N15,000 per individual, and N55,000 for a family of four, with flexible options such as the “Pay Small Small” initiative and the Ilera ‘n Tiwa Cooperative Scheme.
Looking ahead, Zamba said the current engagement would be followed by a door-to-door campaign and a compliance phase across all councils.
“After this, we will begin a door-to-door campaign to educate residents and drive enrolment,” she said.
She emphasised that the scheme was designed to prevent avoidable deaths linked to lack of access to healthcare.
“People do not need to die needlessly because they do not have money for healthcare. Healthcare will be affordable and qualitative,” she said.
In addition, she disclosed plans to establish a telemedicine kiosk within the LCDA to improve access, while noting that LASHMA operates a 24-hour customer service platform and community outreach through local radio stations.
“We are within the community and easily accessible. Call us, complain, we will resolve your issues,” she assured.
Elsewhere, Jakande linked public health to environmental conditions, announcing that a sanitation exercise would commence across all wards on April 25, with a committee set up to enforce compliance.
“A dirty environment breeds disease. Blocked drainage leads to flooding. Stagnant water invites mosquitoes,” he warned.
He also cautioned against misuse of public infrastructure, revealing that 16 roads with drainage systems had been reconstructed under his administration.
“It remains illegal to obstruct vehicular movement in the name of organising parties without proper permits,” he said.
The Odiolowo-Ojuwoye LCDA Chairman urged residents to take ownership of government initiatives.
“The future of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA is not solely in the hands of the government; it is in all of ours. If we want better healthcare, we must support it,” he said.
Zamba, in her closing remarks, called on stakeholders to become advocates of the scheme.
“Together, we can build a healthier, more resilient Lagos State where quality healthcare is accessible to all,” she said.
