Lagos State House of Assembly has passed the State Health Insurance Bill into law. The bill which was passed yesterday makes provision for a basic, defined minimum benefit package of healthcare services for primary care for all residents of the state, for both employees in the private and public sectors, including the self-employed and unemployed. The law shall consist of a variety of packages providing healthcare services in direct proportion to the contribution and any other component as may be developed by the agency with the approval of the board. The scheme shall be compulsory and apply to all residents of the state not covered by an existing health scheme, while all residents in the formal or informal sector must be covered by the scheme. The General Manager of the agency shall also be the secretary to the board while members of the board shall be persons of proven integrity to be appointed by the governor on the recommendation of the commissioner. Mr. Suuru Avoseh, the House chairman, Committee on Health Services, who presented the report on the Bill, said the bill would allow the residents have access to good medical care. Avoseh said the bill when passed into law would make it important for Lagos residents to access medical care through a health insurance scheme. Taiwo Kolawole, the Deputy Speaker, who presided at the plenary however, told the clerk of the House to forward the bill to the governor for accent. The House was adjourned to Tuesday May 4.
