In a bold move to accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has inducted 20 National Health Fellows (NHFs) as ILERA EKO Champions.
The initiative, unveiled during a stakeholders’ engagement in Alausa, Ikeja, seeks to harness youth leadership in driving the state’s mandatory health insurance scheme.
LASHMA Permanent Secretary, Emmanuella Zamba, congratulated the newly appointed fellows and urged them to uphold the values of both the National Health Fellows Programme (NHFP) and the ILERA EKO initiative.
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She described their roles as crucial to expanding access to quality healthcare, particularly at the grassroots.
Zamba commended the Federal Government for launching the NHFP, expressing LASHMA’s enthusiasm for receiving the fellows.
She noted that their involvement would bring new energy and innovation into healthcare delivery across Lagos.
Highlighting their task, Zamba charged the fellows with promoting the ILERA EKO scheme within their local government areas, encouraging wider enrolment in line with the Executive Order signed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on 16 July 2024, which mandates health insurance for all Lagos residents.
“These young leaders will provide fresh perspectives and serve as vital links between government and communities,” she said.
“We are charting new territory with this social health insurance scheme, and their ideas will help shape its future.”
Jumoke Oyenuga, Director of Healthcare Planning, Research and Statistics at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, praised LASHMA for involving the fellows in its activities.
She said this inclusive approach would enable them to play active roles in implementing the Governor’s Executive Order.
Providing context, Oyeyemi Ogunjobi, the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP) Desk Officer, explained that the NHFP aims to recruit 774 fellows annually for three years, deploying them across Nigeria’s Local Government Areas to strengthen public health systems and monitor service delivery.
Also, Olufunke Longe, Director of Admin and Human Resources at LASHMA, emphasised the rising influence of young people in governance and called on the fellows to champion the agency’s mission and core values.
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On behalf of the inductees, Sophie Adeyeye of Ikeja Local Government expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Health and LASHMA.
She pledged the fellows’ commitment to driving meaningful change in Lagos’ health sector.
The event also featured detailed briefings on key LASHMA programmes, including the ILERA EKO health plan, the mandatory insurance policy, and the EKO Social Health Alliance (EKOSHA).
