KEY POINTS

• The Ilera Eko scheme achieved enrollment by one million people as it expanded healthcare benefits for state employees.
• The commitment of Lagos State to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) intensifies through its new health initiatives.
• The healthcare leadership of Dr. Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu has recently received national recognition.

The Lagos State Government celebrated Wednesday Ilera Eko Day 2025 by commemorating the LSHS’s major success of having more than one million residents under its enrollment.

Enhanced health benefits for staff members became available during the event which supported the national Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.

Dr. Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu the First Lady of Lagos State expressed gratitude for the Ilera Eko scheme which acts as a symbol representing dignity and health equity and peace of mind for Lagosians.

The First Lady stated that health insurance stands as a basic entitlement instead of being a privilege and then praised the enrollment growth from 100,000 participants to over one million members.

The Ilera Eko Day theme for this year expressed “Ilera Eko: Health Coverage for All” to symbolize an all-encompassing health delivery system according to Dr. Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu.

Innovations and expanding access to healthcare

Through Virtual Booths and the Ilera Eko App and telemedicine platforms LASHMA demonstrated innovative health access methods to Dr. Sanwo-Olu. The Equity Fund within EKOSHA offers free enrollment benefits to orphans and senior citizens as well as people with disabilities.

According to the First Lady the Community Senior Citizen Initiative serves as a symbolic gesture to express gratitude toward Lagos State’s foundational generation.

Improved employee welfare and interstate healthcare partnership

According to Mr. Bode Agoro who served as the Head of Service the yearly premium subsidy for public servants has grown to 75 percent under the leadership of Governor Sanwo-Olu bringing healthcare ease for employees.

Sanwo-Olu introduced expanded healthcare benefits for employees which included ₤5 million cancer treatment coverage together with extended renal dialysis benefits, orthopedic surgeries, fibroid elimination and prosthetic services.

Agoro introduced a healthcare cooperation between Ogun border towns and 15 pre-approved treatment centers within Ogun State that provide services to public servants who live in these border areas. The logical healthcare access strategy of the administration becomes evident through this action according to him.

Sanwo-Olu’s health vision, a call to action for healthier Lagos

During his Ilera Eko Day address Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi presented the event as an occasion for health milestones and simultaneously urged residents to join a proactive health-building campaign.

Dr. Adebayo Adedewe from LASHMA defined Ilera Eko as a healthcare protection program which serves all 57 LGAs and LCDAs and aims to protect residents from healthcare financial strain through his role as the authority’s chairman.

The First Lady received two prestigious distinctions as the ILERA EKO Icon and Grand Dame of EKOSHA at the event’s climax since she had been instrumental in promoting the scheme.

The Ilera Eko scheme increases its enrollees to one million while expanding coverage toward its commitment to achieve Universal Health Care for residents seeking accessible quality healthcare, Sanwo-Olu’s health vision is being actualized.

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