Lagos unveils LASHMA-AID Emergency Services Programme
The Lagos State Government on Thursday unveiled the LASHMA-AID Emergency Services Programme, a state-led intervention designed to ensure that no resident is denied life-saving care due to cost, delay or administrative barriers.
The programme provides structured emergency medical stabilisation for insured and vulnerable residents under the ILERA EKO Health Insurance Scheme, in line with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Executive Order on Mandatory Social Health Insurance.
Delivering the keynote address, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi, described the initiative as a historic milestone that reinforces Lagos State’s commitment to universal health coverage and responsive governance. She said LASHMA-AID reflects the governor’s resolve to guarantee unhindered access to healthcare as a core pillar of the THEMES Plus Agenda.
Dr. Ogunyemi highlighted ongoing reforms, including the Smart Health Information Platform linking public health facilities, the expansion of 24-hour primary healthcare centres, upgrades of over 27 PHCs under the World Bank-supported IMPACT Programme, and the growth of functional PHCs to more than 336 across the state.
She also noted that Lagos has reduced out-of-pocket healthcare spending through expanded insurance coverage and strengthened protection for the poor by dedicating one per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund—now increased to ₦3 billion annually—as a first-line equity fund.
According to her, LASHMA-AID addresses long-standing gaps in emergency response by prioritising life-saving care before administrative checks. Residents can access emergency services through 112 or 767, as well as the LASHMA toll-free line, 0800 000 LASHMA, with evacuation and response provided by LASAMBUS, recently enhanced with ambulance bikes and Mobile Intensive Care Unit ambulances.
She disclosed that LASAMBUS has handled over 5,000 emergency cases this year, with approval granted for the recruitment of additional nurses and bike riders to strengthen rapid response. In a goodwill message, Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Hon. Musibau Aina Lawal, said the programme translates legislative intent into practical action by placing preservation of life above enrolment verification or payment.
Earlier, the Chairman of LASHMA, Dr. Adebayo Adedewe, said the programme was developed from the governor’s Executive Order through extensive stakeholder engagement. He explained that LASHMA-AID covers up to 48 hours of in-facility emergency stabilisation, integrates hospitals and ambulance operators into a single response chain, and ensures that no emergency patient is turned away.
The Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, said the initiative removes barriers that previously discouraged private providers by guaranteeing payment for emergency care, whether patients are insured or vulnerable.
Closing the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Health, Dr. Oluwatoni Adeyemi, said the programme’s success would be measured by lives saved, faster response times and improved public confidence, positioning Lagos as a national reference point for organised emergency healthcare delivery.
