The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), in partnership with the Senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has enrolled 1,300 elders on ILERA EKO Health plan.
The General Manager, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, speaking at the 31st Town Hall Meeting and 10th Edition of the Elderly Citizens’ Assistance Scheme of Lagos Central Senatorial District held at Lagos Mainland Local Government Area, commended Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her dedication towards ensuring that residents, including youths, women and elderly in her constituency, live a healthy life.
Dr. Zamba said that Senator Oluremi Tinubu at every point in time, aside from providing grants to the beneficiaries of her various empowerment programmes, always ensures that the beneficiaries are also enrolled on the ILERA EKO Health plan.
She appealed to other eminent personalities in the State to emulate the Senator and support the Agency by enrolling Lagosians, especially the vulnerable in their various communities, in order to promote access to quality healthcare.
While advising the elderly to visit the hospital of their choice whenever they are unwell and take their drugs as prescribed appropriately, Zamba listed the benefits of the Health plan to include the treatment of ailments such as malaria, typhoid, hypertension, diabetes and asthma as well as provision of free drugs, laboratory test, blood test, x-ray, surgeries and admission for up to 15 days in a year.
The General Manager added that with effect from January 2022, elders on the ILERA EKO Health plan would have access to seeing specialists on the scheme and also obtain recommended glasses.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in her opening remarks, said that in a bid to ensure that no segment of the society is left out in her empowerment programmes, the event dedicated to the celebration of elderly people is replicated simultaneously in all the 13 LGAs/LCDAs constituting Lagos Central Senatorial District.
Speaking on the theme of the event: “COVID-19 and Beyond: Safeguarding the Elderly”, the Senator pointed out that the elderly are more susceptible to increased risk of mortality if they contract the virus due to one or more underlying health conditions, noting that the disease has caused a disruption in routine healthcare services for many older people with chronic diseases all over the world.
The Senator cautioned that just like many other infections and diseases that we have to contend with, COVID-19 too would continue to be managed and lived with as different variants of the virus emerge, imploring the elderly to adhere to all COVID-19 protocols at all times.
Senator Tinubu, therefore, urged governments at all levels, families and caregivers to prioritise access to healthcare for the senior citizens, especially the vulnerable among them.
She also enjoined the elderly to continue to eat healthy, saying “Load up on your fruits and vegetables as these will help build up your immunity. In addition, take your prescribed medicines religiously, use supplements under the supervision of your Doctor, exercise when possible and rest well”.
