By Hassan Zaggi
The partnership between the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and Roche Nigeria-a healthcare company to make available affordable cancer medicines to patients is yielding the desire results.
This is even as 55 patients have, through the partnership, benefitted and had access to affordable cancer care at heavily subsidized cost.
The 55 patients who received the innovative cancer care through the partnership are enrollees of the NHIA and patients in the seven pilot centers; University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), University College Hospital(UCH) and the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe.
A statement by the Spokesman of the NHIA,
Emmanuel Ononokpono,, disclosed that within the partnership arrangement, Roche pays 50%, the NHIA pays 30% and the patient pays 20% of the cost.
To this end, the NHIA has concluded plans to expand the partnership to all parts of the country so that Nigerians with cancer can access treatment without facing financial catastrophe.
Speaking at the presentation of progress report of the partnership in Abuja, the Director General, NHIA, Prof Mohammed Sambo, insisted that the partnership is showing great promise as it is helping Nigerians to access affordable treatment.
According to him: “This partnership shows that it is helping Nigerians affected by cancer to proactively avoid financial hardship and supports them to focus on the most important thing of all- their health.
“We are very pleased with the impact this is having and this is why we are going to now focus on rolling this out even further, by expanding to more centres nationwide.
“I also want to use this opportunity to remind everyone that health insurance under NHIA is available to all Nigerians.
“We have offices across the country for purposes of enrollment so that they can access innovative treatments as being implemented under the partnership.”
On his part, the General Manager, Roche Nigeria, Dr Ladi Hameed, noted that even though the barriers to access to affordable cancer treatment are huge, they are, however, surmountable.
“The barriers that are preventing access are persistent and complex, but they are solvable and together, we are making a difference.
“Roche is very proud to partner with the NHIA to make innovative treatments broadly, rapidly and equitably accessible to Nigerians, when they need them.
“We commit to continuing this partnership, and to contributing to bold solutions that support sustainable health ecosystems and a future where every Nigerian can access world-class healthcare.
“This partnership is inspired by three themes: the need for patients to access medicines for diagnostic solutions, the need for capacity building and policy advocacy.
“We clearly see that patients are starting to get the access that they need.”
