Health Insurance Scheme to rollout free cancer and sickle cell treatment for children

The National Health Insurance Scheme will from July this year roll out free treatment for children with sickle cell and cancer who are registered with the scheme.

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority Dr. Okoe Boye disclosed this.

Speaking at Ofori Panin Fie on Wednesday, June 21, 2022, during a visit to Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the Chief Executive Officer for National Health Insurance Authority, (NHIA) Dr. Bernard Okoe–Boye announced that, the government has adopted hydroxyurea Sickle cell treatment drug under the scheme for a roll-out beginning next month together with treatment of children with cancer to bring relief.

“Through Nana Akuffo Addo, we are coming up with new initiatives, today we have extended the health insurance to cover certain things at first it will not cover. At first, the insurance do not cover children who suffer from cancer but now from next month July children with cancer will be treated free once they have registered on the health insurance” he said.

“The second one is about children with sickle cell, There is a special medicine called hydroxyzine urea that we have been able to get through the able leadership of Nana Akuffo Addo, and this medicine when given to a sickle cell patient takes away the pains and gives them the quality of lives they deserve to leave long without any suffering therefore from next month health insurance will take care of sickle cell patients”.

He further revealed that “Our law says if you are 70 years and above and you register for health insurance, you don’t have to pay any premium, you only have to pay processing fees, GHC 5 for rural area dwellers and GHC 7 for those in the cities and it takes one month before your card begins to work so we have realized that it is affecting most of the elders in our society since they get stranded at most hospitals. Because of that, my board chairman has given me the green light to announce to Ghanaians that from next month if you are 70 years and above and you register your NHIS card, there will be instant card activation for all such persons who fall within that category.”