LASHMA DEPLOYS ILERA EKO BIOMETRIC CARD READERS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS
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In an effort to enhance healthcare accessibility and identity verification in Lagos State, the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has partnered with the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASSRA) to introduce biometric card readers for the ILERA EKO Social Health Plan. This initiative was officially launched on May 30, 2025, at General Hospital Odan-Lagos and St. Nicholas Hospital, which will serve as pilot centers. The newly deployed biometric card readers are linked to the LASSRA database, enabling effective authentication of enrollees via their LASSRA ID, aimed at preventing impersonation and improving access to healthcare services. This pilot project will expand to 100 healthcare facilities across the state.
The Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, emphasized the significance of a recent initiative aimed at advancing universal health coverage in Lagos. Represented by Mr. Tosin Awosika, Zamba acknowledged the collaboration with LASSRA as a commendable example of inter-agency alignment for public benefit. She introduced the integration of the ILERA EKO ICT platform with the LASSRA database, which facilitates biometric identification for healthcare access. This innovative system features user-friendly card readers and is supported by LASHMA’s technical team, enhancing the integrity of the health insurance framework and ensuring timely care for the appropriate individuals. Dr. Zamba reiterated the agency’s long-term ambition to position Lagos as a benchmark for universal health coverage in Nigeria and beyond.
At the launch of the biometric initiative, Dr. Ebun Bamgboye, Clinical Director of St. Nicholas Hospital, commended the project and reaffirmed the hospital’s commitment to enhancing healthcare outcomes. He noted that, despite being a private facility, the collaboration aligns with the hospital’s corporate social responsibility. Dr. Bamgboye expressed confidence that the biometric card reader would help mitigate healthcare impersonation, ensuring that only legitimate enrollees receive care and consequently improving service quality. He highlighted St. Nicholas Hospital’s dedication to supporting this initiative as a pivotal move towards achieving universal health coverage, emphasizing Lagos State’s leadership in healthcare innovation.
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At the public facility launch for a new card reader initiative, Dr. Ayodele Adeshina, representing Dr. Abiola Mafe, commended LASHMA for selecting their facility and expressed a commitment to enhancing patient access through innovation. He emphasized the timely nature of the new system, which simplifies patient interactions by allowing them to use just the LASSRA ID for data access and payment processing, significantly reducing administrative challenges. Dr. Adeshina also assured attendees of the hospital’s dedication to data security with appointed Data Safety Officers in place. Furthermore, Mr. Sefiu Oladejo, Head of ICT at LASHMA, highlighted the project’s origins in addressing identification issues and the multifunctionality of the LASSRA card, which combines identity verification, ATM capabilities, and payment processing. He confirmed that while biometric verification is employed, patient confidentiality is maintained. This initiative, the ILERA EKO biometric card reader, represents a significant advancement in public-private partnerships, reinforcing Lagos State’s commitment to innovative solutions for equitable healthcare access.
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