The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and the Roche Products Limited, a multinational healthcare company, have collaborated to onboard two healthcare facilities in Imo for subsidised cancer treatment.
Our correspondent reports that the Federal Teaching Hospital, Owerri, and the American Cancer Hospital, Ikeduru, were onboarded to the program in Owerri, on Wednesday.
Speaking at the onboarding meeting, the Imo Coordinator of the NHIA, Dr Chimezie Ezennabike, described the program as a cost-sharing initiative and innovative financing strategy for oncology treatment.
He said that with the initiative, NHIA insured cancer patients could access treatment support for all cycles of their treatment with a payment of only 20 per cent of the cost of drugs and other services.
Non insured patients would however pay have 50 per cent of support for treatment.
“ For drugs and other services , Roche will take care of 50 per cent of, NHIA 30 and the insured patient will take care of 20 per cent while the uninsured patient will pay 50 per cent and the rest will be taken care of by the NHIA and Roche”, he said.
He expressed hope that the arrangement would improve access to oncology drugs for patients as a crucial part of effective treatment.
Speaking, Mr Terseer Sar, the Head of Access and Health Policy for Roche Nigeria, said that the initiative would also enhance affordability, availability and sustainability of cancer treatment.
He said that 24 new health facilities across Nigeria would benefit from the initiative, hence the need for patients to key into NHIA’s insurance plan.
He added that there would be adequate monitoring and evaluation to prevent abuse of the program adding that there would be holistic data collection, with the drugs labeled ‘ FOR NHIA USE ONLY’.
According to him, the initiative would help overcome challenges to cancer treatment such as financial sustainability, equity in patient coverage and complex funding navigation.
The Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Dr Kingsley Achigbu, described the proposal for the institution’s onboarding to the program as “ a very exciting moment” and pledged full cooperation with the arrangement.
He commended the President Muhammad Buhari – led Federal Government for recent health subsidies and the Imo Governor, Hope Uzodimma, for novel programmes such as the massive enrollment for health insurance.
Also, Head of Operations for the American Cancer Hospital, Ikeduru, Mr Mike Addah, expressed delight over the initiative and openness to further discussions on its execution.