Providing free health insurance in Eti-Osa, By Gbolahan Olusegun Yishawu

The Eti-Osa I want to help build is a community where residents have greater opportunities to live well. I want children to learn and thrive. I want young people to acquire useful skills and pursue meaningful livelihoods. I want traders, artisans and working families to have a stronger foundation for the future they are trying to build. Health belongs at the centre of that vision.

Health is one of the clearest tests of whether public service has meaning in the everyday life of the citizen. He may not immediately understand a motion on the floor of the House. He may not follow every debate on policy, budgetary allocation or public finance, but understands the difference between being able to take a sick child to hospital and having to postpone treatment. He understands the fear that comes with an unexpected diagnosis and the quiet pain of watching a manageable medical condition worsen because timely medical attention is beyond reach.

I believe access to healthcare should be available to everyone at an affordable cost, irrespective of class. I understand the anxiety of having to choose between a visit to the hospital and other pressing needs for the vulnerable, which is why I have, over the years, championed different programmes and initiatives to improve health conditions and outcomes for everyone, especially the vulnerable members of our society.

For our people in Eti-Osa Constituency 02, those programmes include free annual medical check-ups, breast and cervical cancer screening with vaccinations, dental care and surgery, as well as eye examinations with cataract surgery and eyeglasses provided where needed. These programmes have run consistently every year over the past decade.

On the floor of the Lagos State House of Assembly, I have proposed different initiatives to widen access to healthcare for Lagosians. I campaigned for a health insurance scheme and vigorously supported it upon adoption by the Lagos State Ministry of Health. I also moved a motion for free rotavirus vaccines for young children to protect them against diarrhoea. I am glad that, following that motion and the House of Assembly’s resolution, the initiative was adopted as Lagos State Government policy, and thousands of young children have since benefited from it. The Lagos Patient Bill of Rights, which I proposed, is currently under consideration by the House.

I believe that representation must be felt in the everyday lives of the people. While our debates, motions, and decisions in the House matter because that is how we get to address the fundamental issues, I believe that ultimately, these must connect with the needs of the people we represent. The question has always been: what solutions can I proffer that can directly improve people’s lives and make their burden lighter? That inspired the two-year free health-insurance programme for the residents of Eti-Osa Constituency 02. For me, reaching the programme’s initial target of 5,000 residents is not simply hitting an enrolment figure; it represents people whose health and peace of mind deserve our attention. We are grateful for the privilege and opportunity we have to provide that support.

This initiative grows out of our long-term commitment to accessible healthcare for the people. Our desire is to create a more dependable pathway through which people can seek care when they need it. This programme offers a practical starting point by removing the cost of enrolment for beneficiaries, while also helping them to become familiar with a system that many have not used or do not fully understand, simultaneously addressing the twin issues of affordability and awareness.

For those who have enrolled in the scheme, the two-year coverage commenced on 10^th October.  Beneficiaries can now access a defined range of services, including general and specialist consultations, medical tests, dental and eye care, minor surgeries and other covered treatments. Maternity benefits include antenatal care, drugs, scans and delivery services, alongside 28 days of care for newborns, subject to the package’s terms and limits.

We hope that with enrolment in the scheme, families will have greater confidence to seek care. A mother with a sick child needs more than reassuring words. A pregnant woman worried about the cost of delivery needs more than promises. An elderly resident who cannot afford treatment needs a practical route to care. I want parents to focus on getting their children treated rather than thinking about other things. I want that pregnant woman to approach childbirth with less anxiety. I want that elderly resident in our constituency to seek medical attention without feeling that every request for help places an unbearable burden on the family. If our work helps a mother obtain care, an elderly resident receive treatment with dignity, or a family face a difficult moment with greater reassurance, then we have succeeded in giving representation its proper meaning.

The Eti-Osa I want to help build is a community where residents have greater opportunities to live well. I want children to learn and thrive. I want young people to acquire useful skills and pursue meaningful livelihoods. I want traders, artisans and working families to have a stronger foundation for the future they are trying to build. Health belongs at the centre of that vision.

Our healthcare interventions sit alongside education support, skills acquisition and ICT initiatives as part of a broader commitment to residents’ wellbeing and opportunities. I want our residents to feel supported, not forgotten. I want families to have more room to hope and less reason to fear. Ultimately, the future I seek for Eti-Osa is one not only measured by projects completed or programmes announced, but by the difference those efforts make in people’s lives directly.

My appeal to residents is simple: if you have enrolled, make use of your health-insurance cover when it takes effect. Familiarise yourself with the services available, know your designated healthcare provider, and seek care promptly when you need it. If you need information about enrolment or how to use the scheme, please contact our constituency office. Let us work together to make good health a shared priority in every household in Eti-Osa. I remain committed to making wellbeing a central part of our shared future. Ilera l’oro – health is wealth.

Gbolahan Olusegun Yishawu, an engineer, is a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, representing Eti-Osa Constituency 02.