Professor John Okeniyi, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, has announced a new partnership with pharmaceutical company Roche to provide subsidised cancer medication to patients.
Okeniyi made this known during a sensitisation programme on the Engagement and Pre-Implementation of the NHIA-Roche Oncology Cost Sharing Initiative, held on Friday in Ile-Ife.
He revealed that the hospital is also working in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to offer affordable cancer treatment under a public-private partnership initiative.
According to the CMD, the collaboration is designed to alleviate the financial burden of cancer treatment for patients, while also encouraging more people to enrol in the NHIA.
“The initiative will drive people’s interest in NHIA enrolment and enable Roche to make all their medications available to patients,” he said.
Okeniyi noted that prior to this initiative, many cancer patients were unable to afford treatment and, as a result, succumbed to the disease.
He emphasised that the partnership would enable earlier intervention and improved patient follow-up.
Also speaking at the event, Mr Olalekan Falode, the Osun State Coordinator of NHIA, outlined the cost-sharing arrangement for eligible cancer patients: Roche will cover 50 percent of the drug cost, NHIA will contribute 30 percent, and patients will be responsible for 20 percent.
He stressed that the scheme is exclusively available to NHIA-registered patients.
“Immediately your name comes out, 30 percent will be paid by the NHIA while the patient pays 20 percent,” Falode explained.
“Cancer is not a disease anyone can afford to treat easily, even the wealthy. It drains finances. The only sustainable way is through such support systems.”
Falode encouraged more Nigerians to enrol in the NHIA, highlighting that this enables them to access significant drug subsidies through the Roche partnership.
In his remarks, Mr Babarinde Olayode, Secretary, Healthcare System Partner-Policy for Roche Nigeria, stated that Roche currently operates through seven centres across all geopolitical zones.
He added that the company is committed to improving cancer care and now works with 24 centres, including OAUTHC, to ensure more patients can access Roche medications via a cost-sharing model.
“This includes making more of our products available at additional centres where patients can benefit from the cost-sharing arrangement,” he said.