Lagos State has inaugurated the L A S H M A – A I D Emergency Services Programme, a major step to ensure that no resident is denied lifesaving care due to cost, delays or administrative hurdles.

Unveiled in Ikeja, the state-led initiative institutionalises emergency medical stabilisation for insured and vulnerable residents under the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme, ILERA EKO, in line with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Executive Order on Mandatory Social Health Insurance.

Delivering the keynote address, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, described LASHMA AID as a historic milestone that reinforces Lagos’ commitment to universal health coverage (UHC) and responsive governance.

She said the programme reflects the governor’s resolve to guarantee unhindered access to healthcare, a core pillar of the THEMES Plus Agenda.

Dr. Ogunyemi highlighted ongoing reforms, including the Smart Health Information Platform linking public facilities, expansion of 24-hour primary healthcare centres, upgrades of over 27 PHCs under the World Bank-supported IMPACT Programme, and the growth of functional PHCs to more than 336 statewide.

She added that Lagos has reduced out-of-pocket spending through health insurance and strengthened protection for the poor by dedicating one per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund—now ₦3 billion annually— as a first-line equity fund.