August 26, 2026
By Sola Ogundipe
The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has tasked journalists with driving public awareness and uptake of the state’s mandatory health insurance scheme, warning that the policy cannot succeed if residents remain uninformed or distrust the system.
The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, who gave the charge at a two-day capacity-building programme for journalists on the Lagos State Health Scheme and Ilera Eko, said the media must become a stronger force for explaining health insurance, challenging misinformation, exposing gaps and holding institutions accountable.
“Policies alone do not guarantee success; their effectiveness depends on understanding, cooperation and participation, the media therefore has a critical responsibility to explain policies accurately, dispel myths, amplify impact and hold institutions accountable.”
