The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has revealed that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) covers the treatment of breast and cervical cancers.
As a result, the Scheme has advised the general public, particularly women, not to wait until cancer has progressed to its most severe stages before seeking treatment.
The NHIA’s Head of Communications, Barima Sarpong, told Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm that the Scheme fully covers breast and cervical cancers.
He stated that individuals suffering from the conditions must seek treatment if they are registered with the health insurance scheme.
He stated that the scheme does not treat cancer cases, but it does provide exclusive treatment for cases of cervical and breast cancer.
“Breast and cervical cancer are covered by the NHIS. The NHIS offers a variety of benefits and packages. It accounts for 95% of all disease conditions reported in Ghana. The package includes conditions classified as out-patient cases as well as a large number of in-patient department conditions.”
When asked why several people were unaware that the NHIS covered these cases, he admitted but quickly added that the NHIS will launch an intensive education campaign to educate the public on the scheme’s benefits.
He stated that the scheme intends to improve public education so that scheme members have adequate information about the benefits provided by the NHIS. This year, we intend to increase public education. We will not wait for the media to approach us before engaging them. We’ll start an education campaign for them.”
He also revealed that the scheme has added a Specialist Anti-Breast Cancer Drug (Herceptin) to the National Health Insurance Scheme’s (NHIS) Medicines list.
Herceptin is the brand name for the medication Trastuzumab + recombinant human hyaluronidase, which is used to treat breast cancer, esophageal cancer, and stomach cancer.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
