NHIS urged to review prices of breast cancer medicines

The Oncology Pharmacy Association of Ghana (OPAG) has urged the National Health Insurance Authority to review the prices of breast cancer medication.

The OPAG said the review of drugs which include cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin/doxorubicin and 5-Fluorouracil on the authority’s medicine list would save lives.

OPAG is an association of qualified pharmacists practicing in public and private oncology institutions in Ghana and aims to promote excellence in the pharmaceutical care of patients with cancer, thereby improving their quality of life.

It said, the medication should be made available to women with breast cancer since the quoted prices of the medication were below the market value thus patients were denied access to the medicines or would pay additional fees to get them.

These were contained in a release signed by Mr. Samuel Obiri-Yeboah, President of OPAG and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

The statement said a number of patients who report cases late, sought for herbal treatment before reporting for treatment at the hospitals hence leading to the progression of the disease to a late stage.

It urged women and the public to seek early treatment at the hospitals when they detect any abnormal changes in their breast or speak to a healthcare professional as well as community pharmacists

The release commended the NHIA for the inclusion of Herceptin on its medication list as it had saved the lives of many women who could not afford the cost of the medicine. October is the ‘Breast Cancer Awareness Month’, marked in countries across the world to help raise awareness about early detection and treatment of breast cancer.