National Telescope national telescope newspaper
The National Coordinator, Cancer Control Programme, Federal Ministry of Health, Uche Nwokwu, has disclosed plans to include cancer treatment in the health insurance scheme.
He stated that the initiative is to ensure provision of adequate and affordable healthcare services for Nigerians diagnosed with cancer.
Nwokwu said this at the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association Cancer Awareness Summit, held in commemoration of the Year 2024 World Cancer Day.
He said, “We understand that one of the major things cancer affects is the pockets of the affected affected families and communities. Cancer is capable of impoverishing anybody. Nobody has the capacity on their own to afford cancer care anywhere in the world not just in Nigeria.
“The government is taking steps to ensure that it is included in the health insurance which is one of the major areas that people can afford to to assess the care and pay for it.
“We also understand that since not everybody is yet on health insurance, the one has provided what they call cancer health funds, the fund provides comprehensive cancer care. As we speak over 2,445 patients are registered and over 750 have been funded. The fund provides treatment for surgery, chemotherapy, and therapy and its centre is at the National Hospital. We also have a mandate of the minister to go across the country.”
