Comply with service delivery standards or face sanctions — LASHMA warns ILERA EKO providers
By Imisioluwa Afunmiso
The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has warned healthcare providers under the ILERA EKO scheme to strictly comply with service delivery standards or face sanctions, as part of renewed efforts to improve customer-centered healthcare in Lagos State.
The warning was given during a three-day ILERA EKO Service Charter Review Workshop organized in partnership with the Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation (OTCI) at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in Alausa, Ikeja.
Speaking at the workshop, Mrs. Toyin Anjous-Ademuyiwa, Permanent Secretary of the Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation (OTCI), said all ILERA EKO providers must adhere strictly to the principles of the Service Charter in their daily operations.
She warned that any facility found failing to deliver services in line with the charter during inspections by the OTCI and mystery shoppers would be appropriately sanctioned.
According to Anjous-Ademuyiwa, the Service Charter is not merely a document displayed on the wall but a public commitment that outlines what services are offered, how they are delivered, what patients should expect, and how feedback is handled.
She emphasized that patients are entitled to respect and dignity, access to information, confidentiality, fair treatment, feedback, and complaint resolution.
The OTCI Permanent Secretary noted that the service experience begins the moment patients arrive at healthcare facilities until they are discharged, stressing that effective communication, courtesy, and respect remain central to quality healthcare delivery.
She added that professionalism, empathy, responsiveness, and effective communication are critical to improving customer satisfaction and strengthening public trust in the healthcare system.
Earlier, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), said the agency partnered with the OTCI to review the ILERA EKO Healthcare Providers Service Charter to ensure better customer-centered, quality healthcare delivery.
Zamba disclosed that LASHMA launched both the LASHMA and ILERA EKO Service Charters on January 20, 2023, as strategic instruments to promote transparency, accountability, customer-focused service delivery, and measurable service standards across all points of healthcare delivery.
She stated that with support from the OTCI, the agency had successfully institutionalized the charter within its operations, processes, and service culture.
According to her, this commitment earned LASHMA commendations as well as the Outstanding Service Charter Award in 2024 and the Service Charter Compliance Award in 2025.
She noted that the agency now plans to extend full implementation of the charter across its provider network.
Zamba disclosed that LASHMA intends to complete the review, re-launch the ILERA EKO Healthcare Providers Service Charter, and implement it across all ILERA EKO facilities before the end of the year.
She added that by 2027, the charter would be fully integrated into the agency’s quality assurance, monitoring, and evaluation framework to measure provider performance and accountability.
The workshop also featured role-play sessions on service delivery, customer experience, positivity, and a customer-centric service culture, while the review process will continue through virtual engagements involving private hospitals, General Hospitals, and Primary Health Centres.