Lagos Launches LASHMA-AID, Guarantees Emergency Care Before Payment

Lagos State has launched the LASHMA-AID Emergency Services Programme, a state-led intervention designed to ensure that no resident is denied life-saving medical care because of cost, administrative delays or uncertainty over insurance status.

The programme was formally unveiled on Thursday in Lagos and is backed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Executive Order on Mandatory Social Health Insurance, placing emergency stabilisation ahead of payment or enrolment verification under the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme, ILERA EKO.

Speaking at the event, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi, described the initiative as a historic milestone that reinforces the state’s commitment to universal health coverage and responsive governance.

She said the programme aligns with the THEMES Plus Agenda, highlighting ongoing reforms such as the Smart Health Information Platform, expansion of 24-hour primary healthcare centres, upgrades of PHCs under the World Bank-supported IMPACT Programme, and increased funding to protect vulnerable residents.

Ogunyemi noted that LASHMA-AID addresses long-standing gaps in emergency response by creating a coordinated and financially protected system that prioritises saving lives before administrative procedures.

“This programme is a lifeline for residents. No one should be turned away in an emergency because of payment or insurance status. Stabilisation comes first, and that is the core of LASHMA-AID,” Ogunyemi said.

“Residents can access emergency care through universal emergency numbers or the LASHMA toll-free line, while LASAMBUS ambulances will ensure rapid response, evacuation and early stabilisation before any documentation is considered,” she added.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Lagos State Health Management Agency, Dr. Adebayo Adedewe, explained that the programme covers up to 48 hours of emergency stabilisation and integrates hospitals, ambulance operators and LASHMA into a single response chain, assuring residents that identification and insurance matters will only be addressed after lives are saved.