The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has held its 23rd Public lecture in Accra on Friday 28th July, 2023. The Association has adopted the gathering as a means of bringing together stakeholders from various health institutions and industry players across the country to share knowledge, engage policy makers and create awareness on the rising levels of mortality linked to cancer related issues in Ghana and across the world.
Speaking at a Panel discussion at the public lecture, the Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Human Resources and Administration at the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Mrs. Yaa Pokuaa Baiden revealed that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has added to its benefit package a drug called Herceptin for the cure of breast, esophageal and stomach cancers.
She stated that with the support of Roche Pharmaceuticals, members of the NHIS now have access to Herceptin, an expensive drug for cancer treatment yet fully covered by the NHIS.
Dr. Mrs. Yaa Pokuaa Baiden indicated that she believes this addition to the benefit package comes as a relief to most members who could not afford to pay for this treatment. She urged Ghanaians to enrol on the NHIS in order to receive cancer treatment and healthcare of other related diseases prevalent in Ghana.
The Lecture was on the topic The Epidemic of Cancers in Ghana: Improving Access to Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Kwabena Nyarko Abronoma
