Cancer patients in Cross River State have been handed a lifeline as the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) prepares to roll out the Oncology Cost Sharing Initiative, aimed at slashing treatment costs. The move follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and global healthcare giant, Roche, during a ceremony in Calabar.
The initiative, described as a game-changer, will pool public and private resources to ease the crushing financial burden on cancer patients, many of whom are forced to abandon treatment due to high costs.
Stanley Effah, NHIA’s Coordinator for Cross River State, stated that the project is both a “moral duty and a strategic tool” to prevent patients from having to choose between their health and livelihood. “Cancer treatment is financially devastating. This partnership brings hope, equity, and innovation,” he said.
The Chief Medical Director of UCTH and the hospital’s management were praised for their commitment to specialised care. Effah urged government officials, healthcare providers, and community leaders to rally behind the initiative, stressing that affordable cancer care should be a reality, not a dream.