The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has commenced ILERA EKO compliance facility visits with a call on health providers to ensure patients’ satisfaction.
The permanent secretary of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, speaking during the flag-off of the compliance visit by the regulatory arm of the agency recently in Ikeja, said LASHMA needs to monitor the various facilities rendering services on the ILERA EKO network in the state to ascertain their level of compliance with the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS) Law and also know how the providers are treating ILERA EKO enrollees.
She added that the visits are also important to ascertain the readiness of the hospitals to cope with the projected increase in the number of enrollees, especially now that the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act has made enrolment on the State Social Health Insurance Agency compulsory for Nigerians.
She reminded the hospitals that at all times, they should ensure that their customers are satisfied right from their entry into the hospital until they leave, saying “This is necessary because the customer is king”.
Dr. Zamba further said that during the compliance visits, any hospital that has a high volume of complaints will be given a letter of warning, and if such complaints persist, LASHMA will not hesitate to sanction such hospitals appropriately following the provisions of the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS) Law.
The Permanent Secretary added that as LASHMA moves around, each hospital under the scheme provider will know its performance and rating, courtesy of the recently conducted survey embarked upon by the agency, stressing that henceforth the ratings of the survey will be published so that the hospitals that perform below expectations will know themselves. This will enable those who do not perform very well to brace up.
She also urged hospitals who are fond of disenfranchising ILERA EKO enrollees while accessing healthcare to desist from such acts, but rather they should ensure that patient satisfaction is their topmost priority. She also warned that the regulatory arm of the agency has been strengthened and mandated to ensure that hospitals with complaints are aware of their responsibilities.
Dr. Zamba, while commending those hospitals with satisfactory performance for a job well done, said that LASHMA would continue to support ILERA EKO providers, especially in capacity development and quality healthcare delivery.
She reminded the providers to ensure that they capture all utilization by enrollees in their respective hospitals because data collection is key in health insurance. Just as she applauded the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on the palliative of free delivery for pregnant women, adding that the kind gesture is yielding positive results.
Also speaking, the Medical Directors of Gbagada and Alimosho General Hospitals, Dr. Olusegun Babafemi and Dr. Ayodapo Soyinka, respectively, commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his commitment to ensuring the development of the health sector, especially the Social Health Insurance Scheme.
They said that with ILERA EKO, a lot of residents, particularly pregnant women, have been saved from financial stress and maternal deaths.
They promised to continue to support the initiative of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu so that, in no time, Lagos State will achieve its goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Hospitals visited so far include General Hospital, Gbagada, R-Jolad, Alimosho General Hospital, Orile Agege General Hospital, and Isolo General Hospital, among others.
