Kenya strengthens access to anti-cancer drugs – African Daily Voice

NEWSROOM (ADV) – Kenya's public health insurance, the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), and Janssen, one of Johnson & Johnson's pharmaceutical companies, announced on Friday a joint partnership to improve access for diabetic patients to drugs.

Judy Otele, NHIF Claims and Benefits Officer, said the agreement was part of the public health insurance strategy aimed at moving to a new service delivery model. low-cost projects incorporating public-private partnerships (PPPs).

"The prescription drug, Zytiga (Abiraterone), will be available to NHIF members in some public and private medical facilities at a subsidized cost," Otele said.

The government is focusing on strengthening health systems for universal health coverage as part of the national cancer strategy.

Cancer is one of the major noncommunicable diseases and the third leading cause of death after infectious and cardiovascular diseases.

About 40,000 new cases of cancer are reported each year in Kenya, while 28,000 patients succumb to the disease due to late diagnosis and prohibitive cost of treatment.

Currently, more than 70% of cancer cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage.

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