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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Health & Science

Lagos tackles drug shortages in health insurance scheme

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The Lagos State Government is reviewing its Drug Access Expansion Programme to improve medicine availability for health insurance enrollees.
  • The program was launched in April 2024 after complaints about drug shortages and incomplete dispensing at healthcare facilities.
  • Lagos aims for the initiative to serve as a model for other states in achieving Universal Health Coverage.

The Lagos State Government is undertaking a review of its Drug Access Expansion Programme (DAE) to address persistent issues with medicine availability for residents enrolled in state health insurance schemes. The initiative, which covers enrollees of the Ilera Eko and Eko Social Health Alliance programs, is being assessed to enhance access to essential medicines.

LASHMA conceived the DAE programme following recurring complaints from enrollees regarding the unavailability of prescribed medications and incomplete dispensing of drugs at healthcare facilities.

— Dr. Emmanuella ZambaThe Permanent Secretary of LASHMA explained the motivation behind the program's creation.

The DAE program was introduced in April 2024 in response to frequent complaints from enrollees regarding drug shortages and incomplete dispensing at various healthcare facilities. Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), described the program as a "strategic intervention" designed to ensure enrollees receive complete, timely, and uninterrupted pharmaceutical care.

a strategic intervention aimed at improving access to essential medicines and ensuring that enrollees receive complete, timely and uninterrupted pharmaceutical care.

— Dr. Emmanuella ZambaZamba described the purpose and goals of the DAE program.

To gauge its effectiveness, LASHMA engaged an independent consultant six months after the program's launch to evaluate performance and gather feedback from both users and healthcare providers. Zamba highlighted Lagos's commitment to healthcare reform and innovation, suggesting the DAE program could become a replicable model for other states aiming to achieve Universal Health Coverage.

Lagos State has continued to lead healthcare innovation and social health insurance implementation in Nigeria.

— Dr. Emmanuella ZambaZamba emphasized Lagos's leading role in healthcare advancements.

Community pharmacies and healthcare providers are urged to strengthen their collaboration with the state to ensure the scheme's sustainability. Feedback gathered during the review will be crucial for refining the program's design and improving its overall efficiency. Representatives from the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria and the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency have commended the initiative for its potential to enhance pharmaceutical access and strengthen inter-agency collaboration within the health sector.

We solicited more cooperation from the providers in order to ensure the sustainability of the Health Insurance Scheme and that Lagos State Government achieves Universal Health Coverage.

— Dr. Emmanuella ZambaZamba called for increased provider cooperation to achieve sustainability and UHC.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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