Latest Headlines
NHIA Lists Benefit Packages that Reduce Cancer Burden

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
As the World marks Cancer Day, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has unveiled a number of initiatives targeted at lifting the heavy financial burden on cancer patients in the country.
In a message to mark this year’s World Cancer Day, the Director General of NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, said the agency is playing pivotal role in caring for patients suffering from the disease.
He said that NHIA through its benefit package for all formal sector programmes and the Group Individual and family Social Health Insurance Programme (GIFSHIP), covers a wide range of oncology services including screenings, diagnostics, surgeries, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, ancillary care, and follow-up services.
“So far, NHIA has implemented various mechanisms to ensure that Nigerians have access to quality oncology services without facing catastrophic financial hardship.
“These initiatives include: Comprehensive Emergency Oncology Care Coverage. providing financial access to key cancer services such as screening/diagnostics: tumour marker assays, imaging (MRI, CT scans, mammography and ultrasound scan), histology (including Pap smear), and endoscopy.”
In addition, Ohiri said that the health insurance scheme assists in a wide range of surgeries including mastectomy, prostatectomy, and other oncology-related surgical interventions.
He explained that NHIA provides 50 percent coverage of radiography treatment up to N400,000, with ongoing efforts to expand reimbursement limits.
He further said that access to chemotherapeutics listed in the NHIA medicines tariff drugs and through the NHIA cost-sharing model include those that are fully and partially covered.
His words: “Fully covered medicines include 5 Fluorouracil (5FU), Doxorubicin, Bicalutamide, Cisplatinium, Cyclophosphamides, Docetaxel, Epirubicin, Gemcitabine, Granisetron, Leucovorin, Ondansetron, Oxaliplatin Injection, Paclitaxel, Vincristine, Xeloda, Zoladex, etc.
“Partially covered medicines include bevacizumab, trastuzumab, rituximab, pertumab, and palbociclib.”