NHIA, Roche partner on cost-sharing Oncology Initiative at UITH

By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and Roche Pharmaceuticals have begun sensitization on the cost-sharing the treatment of Oncology with the  management of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NHIA in partnership with Roche Pharmaceuticals have onboarded 24 healthcare facilities across the nation to offer cost-sharing financing in Oncology management.

Speaking at the programme, the Access Team, Roche Product, Nigeria, Dr Dara Olatoke explained that the partnership is to ensure there is access to Oncology care for Nigerians especially those that are enrolled in the health insurance scheme.

According to her, the cost-sharing initiative is to help cancer patients reduce financial barriers to accessing Oncology care.

She stated that the partnership is also to enhance cancer care accessibility, improve treatment outcomes, and shield Nigerians from the high costs associated with cancer treatment.

“Nigerians deserve the best in terms of a standard care and treatment, and that’s why we partnered with NHIA. In other climes, we see that patients are re-imbursed especially for Oncology care.

“But now the story is changing here, patients do not have to walk through this journey alone. The insurance is there and the partners like Roche, ready to support the patients” she said.

Olatoke appealed to Nigerians to get enrolled in the health insurance scheme, adding that there is support as long as people get enrolled.

She emphasised that Nigerians can access healthcare in some healthcare facilities across the nation.

Also speaking, Dr Saka Agboola, the Head of Standard and Quality Assurance, NHIA-Kwara, said the Agency is partnering Roche to reduce the financial burden of majority of vulnerable Nigerians who cannot access healthcare.

“Currently health insurance is mandatory for all Nigerians. This initiative is for those people who feel left behind, as patients with various forms of cancer can access medication.

“Most of them tend to lose hope in life and NHIA felt that in all fairness and equity, there is need for them to be incorporated,” he said.

Agboola explained that Roche covers 50 percent of the cost of medication, NHIA covers 30 percent and the patient is left to cover 20 percent.

In his reaction, the Head of Surgery of UITH, Dr Suleiman Olaide commended the initiative, while observing that the cost of treatment for cancer patients is high.

He, however, appealed that the sharing cost should further be reduced for the patients, adding that the 20 percent is sitll high.

“We are pleading with the NHIA to reduce to 10 percent or five percent. This will go a long way to ensure many patients are able to benefit from the initiative,” he said.

Olaide lamented that the cancer cases is rising as the hospital records about two new patients every week.

NAN reports that some of the healthcare facilities onboarded for the initiative includes UITH, Federal Medical Center Abuja, Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano and University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, among others. (NAN)

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