In a significant stride toward digitising healthcare delivery in Lagos State, the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has commenced the deployment of ILERA EKO biometric card readers in both public and private hospitals under its health insurance scheme.
The initiative, which began rolling out this week, is designed to enhance verification efficiency, ensure real-time access to patient data, and eliminate identity-related bottlenecks in healthcare access. The biometric readers will authenticate the identity of enrollees using fingerprints, thereby improving transparency, service speed, and accountability across health facilities.
According to the General Manager of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, the deployment is part of the state government’s broader strategy to institutionalise digital health infrastructure, strengthen the integrity of the ILERA EKO scheme, and ensure that registered residents receive prompt and accurate healthcare services without fraud or impersonation.
“This biometric system will not only protect enrollees’ identities but also streamline the process of accessing medical services under the ILERA EKO plan. With this, we are one step closer to achieving universal health coverage in Lagos,” Dr. Zamba said.
The biometric card readers are being installed across General Hospitals, Primary Health Centres (PHCs), and accredited private hospitals in the ILERA EKO network. Once fully deployed, it will serve over hundreds of thousands of enrollees already captured under the health scheme, providing them with seamless access to consultations, diagnostics, medications, and surgeries.
Health professionals and administrators in the pilot hospitals have lauded the development, noting that it will reduce paperwork, curb medical fraud, and improve patient confidence in the state’s health insurance programme.
ILERA EKO, launched in 2020, is part of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus agenda, specifically focusing on Health and Environment , which seeks to make healthcare affordable and accessible to all Lagos residents, regardless of income level. The deployment of biometric verification marks a major step in operationalising that commitment.
LASHMA urged all registered residents to ensure their biometric data is updated and to always carry their ILERA EKO cards during hospital visits, as the card readers will now form the core access point to healthcare under the scheme.
The initiative also aligns with the Lagos State government’s broader vision of using technology to reform public service delivery, with healthcare positioned as a top priority in the drive toward a smarter, healthier Lagos.