Lagos State House of Assembly member representing Eti-Osa Constituency II, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu, has organised a two-year free health insurance programme for 5,000 residents of the constituency to create greater awareness about the benefits of health insurance.

Speaking in an interview on Friday during the ongoing programme, he said, “the initiative, organised in partnership with Ilera Eko under the Ilera Eko Standard Jaara Health Insurance Scheme, is also aimed at complementing the efforts of the Lagos State Government by encouraging more residents to enrol in health insurance programmes”.

Yishawu said the initiative became necessary because, despite the availability of government health insurance schemes, many residents were yet to enrol due to inadequate awareness and the cost of paying premiums.

According to him, health insurance is designed to make healthcare accessible and affordable, but its benefits can only be fully realised when more people are enrolled.

He said, “The essence of a health insurance programme is to create accessibility and affordability within the healthcare sector so that every Nigerian can have access to healthcare.

“What we are doing here is to assist government in creating awareness among Lagosians and people of Eti-Osa Constituency about health insurance and its value.

“One of the ways we have chosen to do that is to give them two years of free healthcare insurance. It covers individuals and families, including children.”

The lawmaker also said the initiative was motivated by the numerous health-related requests received from constituents who could not afford consultation fees, hospital bills and other medical expenses.

He explained that enrolling residents in the insurance scheme would encourage them to seek medical attention when necessary and promote the early detection and treatment of illnesses.

“Some people don’t even want to go to our health centres because they cannot pay for consultations. But with this insurance, they will go there. In the process, things can be caught early, and it improves the wellbeing of our constituents,” he said.

Yishawu said the programme would initially cover 5,000 residents, adding that registration would continue until the target was reached.

He noted that the scheme covers a wide range of medical services, including general consultations, treatment of common illnesses, specialist care, maternal and child healthcare, laboratory and diagnostic services, hospital admission and emergency care.

Other services covered include paediatrics, gynaecology, orthopaedic care, cardiology, ear, nose and throat (ENT) services, chronic disease management and eye care.

Yishawu said the programme was also designed to encourage beneficiaries to continue with health insurance after the two-year free coverage expires, having experienced its benefits.

He added that the registration exercise was conducted over four days to make it convenient for residents to enrol without spending too much time away from work.

According to him, several channels, including social media, flyers, SMS and community networks, were deployed to create awareness about the programme and encourage residents to participate.

A beneficiary, Mrs. Folashade Gbadeyanka, commended Yishawu for the initiative, saying it would reduce the financial burden of healthcare on families.

Gbadeyanka said her family had previously benefited from one of Yishawu’s healthcare initiatives, including an eye surgery programme from which her mother benefited.

She said the two-year insurance coverage would give her family greater peace of mind, as they would be able to access healthcare without worrying about the cost of treatment.

She described Yishawu as a lawmaker who had consistently introduced programmes aimed at improving the welfare of residents of the constituency.