October 31, 2017

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Tuesday said the state would begin the implementation of Health Insurance Scheme in 2018 to make healthcare accessible to every resident, irrespective of financial status.

The governor said this when Queen Maxima Cerruti of Netherlands and her entourage paid him a courtesy visit at State House in Alausa, Lagos.

Ambode thanked the queen for being an advocate of womanhood and humanity.

He explained the positive impact of his administration on health issues and the health insurance scheme.

He added that the establishment of State Employment Trust Fund was part of efforts toward
ensuring financial inclusion for the people with focus on the informal sector, a move which he said helped greatly in the last two years.

He, therefore, urged the Federal Government to scale up financial assistance to all Nigerians.

He promised “a robust partnership with the Netherlands and other relevant stakeholders at delivering government of inclusion to Lagosians.”

Cerruti, who is also a UN Secretary-General Special Advocate for Financial Inclusion and Development, commended Ambode “for the push to make Health Insurance Scheme a priority.”

She said she was in Nigeria to engage stakeholders on advancement of financial inclusion as vehicle to ending poverty.

She commended the efforts of Lagos State Government to establish its health insurance scheme, adding that she was impressed with the leadership quality and status of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Queen, as UN advocate on issues surrounding financial inclusion, is in Nigeria to meet stakeholders and discuss how to alleviate poverty and foster equitable economic growth.