Popular Nigerian musician Adekunle Gold and former Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Rabiu Olowo, have teamed up with the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) to provide free health insurance coverage to 13,500 individuals living with sickle cell disease and their families.
EpeInsights gathered that this initiative, facilitated through the EKO Social Health Alliance (EKOSHA), aims to ease the financial burden of healthcare on vulnerable families across Lagos State.
The initiative was formally launched during a sensitisation and enrollment exercise held in Surulere, where 1,000 sickle cell warriors and their families were enrolled into the ILERA EKO Social Health Insurance Scheme.
The event was organised by the Adekunle Gold Initiative in collaboration with the Sickle Cell Advocacy and Management Initiative (SAMI) and the Lagos State Ministry of Health.
Speaking at the event, LASHMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, described the partnership as a beacon of compassion and purpose, designed to deliver long-term relief to families managing sickle cell conditions.
She praised both Adekunle Gold and Dr. Rabiu Olowo for their commitment to health equity, noting that their actions align closely with the Agency’s mission to ensure no one is left behind in accessing healthcare.
Dr. Zamba highlighted that Adekunle Gold’s foundation has already enrolled 750 sickle cell warriors, while LASHMA supported with an additional 250 slots, bringing the total to 1,000 individuals covered.
In a much larger commitment, Dr. Rabiu Olowo has pledged to sponsor the enrolment of 10,000 sickle cell warriors, with LASHMA adding 2,500 more slots, totaling 12,500 beneficiaries under his foundation’s support.
She emphasized that the program goes beyond providing medical coverage, it offers financial protection, emotional relief and a more equitable healthcare experience for both patients and their families.
The initiative also serves as a call to action for other well-meaning Nigerians and corporate organisations to adopt similar approaches in supporting the vulnerable population through health insurance sponsorship.
Dr. Zamba also assured all donors and sponsors that LASHMA will maintain transparency, providing regular feedback on how donations are utilised. She encouraged those interested in supporting the cause to reach out via LASHMA’s official channels or visit the headquarters opposite the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
She noted that while the Lagos State Government has significantly increased its equity funding from N1 billion to N3 billion to support vulnerable residents, with the fund now treated as a first-line charge, achieving universal health coverage in the state requires collective effort.
The enrolment drive marks a significant milestone in Lagos State’s journey toward more inclusive healthcare, ensuring that even the most vulnerable communities receive the attention and care they deserve.
