NHIA, Roche subsidise cancer drugs by 80% at JUTH
By Blessing Odega
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), in partnership with Roche, has introduced an 80 per cent subsidy on select cancer medications at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).
Dr Ugochi Ozoilo, Assistant Director at the NHIA, said on Monday in Jos that it was the onboarding of JUTH into the oncology cost-sharing initiative of the authority and Roche (a pharmaceutical company).
Ozoilo said the initiative was part of the Federal Government’s efforts to enhance access to drugs for cancer patients and improve patient care.
The assistant director said that it was aimed at significantly reducing the financial burden on families and bridging the equity gap.
She further said that it would improve cancer care affordability and outcomes across the country.
Ozoilo explained that Roche paid 50 per cent, while the NHIA paid 30 per cent and the patient enrolled in NHIA paid 20 per cent.
“Patients enrolled in the NHIA pay only 20 per cent and those who aren’t enrolled pay 50 per cent.
“Both patients can now access high-cost oncology drugs at a fraction of their original prices, marking a key milestone in public-private healthcare collaboration,” she said.
Mr Sar Terseer, Head of Access and Policy, Roche, said the company’s goal is not only to make life-saving medications more accessible but also to protect patients from the financial catastrophe that often follows a cancer diagnosis.
“We observed that with health insurance support, patients could stay on medication longer, up to 17 or 18 cycles compared to just three cycles due to cumbersome financial constraints prior to the pilot studies.
“The Roche and NHIA partnership had dramatically improved survival outcomes.
“The partnership is more than just cost reduction of medications, but also of equity, early diagnosis, standard of care, and patient navigation,” he said.
Terseer further said that patients were to pay the sum of N 10,000 per cycle at the hospital.
In his remarks, Dr Pokop Bupwatda, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of JUTH, said the initiative was a game changer, as it would reduce the financial burden of cancer treatment.
Bupwatda, who was represented by Dr Josiah Njem, Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) of JUTH, said the act would also ease the plight in the accessing of drugs by cancer patients. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Peter Amine
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