Community Based Insurance Scheme.

Healthcare for all citizens of Lagos State regardless of financial status is one of the dreams of Governor Fashola for the state. There have been several projects initiated by the Lagos State Government towards achieving this objective and the Community-Based Health Insurance system is one of them. This scheme is expected to provide social health protection coverage for the poor, informal sector population as well as underserved communities state-wide.

Health insurance is just becoming widespread in Nigeria and Lagos State is no exception. President Olusegun Obasanjo launched the National Health Insurance Scheme in June 2005 to increase the opportunity to improve on our health indicators and increasing access to healthcare. Prior to this there have been private sector Health Management Organizations like Hygeia. In this vein, the Lagos State Government commenced a pilot program for the health insurance program in the peri-urban Olowora community.

The Ikosi-Isheri Mutual Health Plan was launched on Wednesday, July 23, 2008 and completed 1 year of operations in July 2009.The peri-urban Olowora community, with an estimated population of 70,000 persons, consists mainly of informal sector workers such as petty traders and labourers. The pilot scheme offers a package of prepaid healthcare services for enrolled members of the community and the target coverage for the scheme was set at 5,000 persons or 833 families. The scheme’s concept represents collaboration between the State Government, the Local Government and the Private Provider which is providing an element of Public-Private-Partnership (PPP).

The government provides maintenance services for the facility and security, ensures the availability of an ambulance for emergency services and assists in monitoring to prevent interference or disruption of the services rendered by the provider. For their own part the Private Provider staffs and manages the health facility, provides drugs and consumables, offers prepaid primary health care services to the registered enrolees, provides and maintains documentation to assist in monitoring and evaluation of the scheme and is charged with the responsibility of adherence to given quality of care – personnel, drugs etc.

The Ikosi-Isheri Mutual Health Plan provides a primary healthcare benefit package at a price of N800.00 per family of six persons per month or N400.00 per single person per month. The benefit package offers enrollees and their dependents basic outpatient care at the Olowora Primary Health Centre with treatment of common ailments such as Malaria, Respiratory Tract Infection, Diarrhoea Diseases, Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus. Other services provided are prescribed essential medicines, immunization, maternity care, health education, short-stay admissions and access to economic empowerment.

The members of the scheme have membership cards to present at the 24-hour Olowora Health Centre and if unable to be given adequate treatment there, the member can be transferred to Gbagada General Hospital for more specialised treatment. Members who do not qualify for free health under the Lagos State’s Free Health program are entitled to a 25% discount.

Three administrative staff deployed by the Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, manage the daily activities of the Ikosi-Isheri Mutual Health Association office located within the Olowora Primary Health Centre complex. There has been a steady growth in enrolee population on a monthly basis with current number (as at February, 2010) of registered members at 9,120 persons. This is an obvious indicator that the scheme is working and a much needed one in the community. Providing basic healthcare at an affordable price is a wonderful idea. Coupling this with PPP assures longevity and makes it a win-win situation for all concerned. Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola and his administration deserve two thumbs up.