NHIA Urges Early Detection as FG Steps Up Cancer Response

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in Nigeria is urging women to prioritize early detection of breast cancer as part of a comprehensive response to the country's rising cancer burden. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Nigerian women and a leading cause of cancer deaths. The World Health Organization estimates that there are 32,278 new breast cancer cases and 16,332 deaths annually in Nigeria.

The federal government has acknowledged that Nigeria accounts for about 10.5% of Africa's cancer burden, placing the country among the three most affected on the continent.

NHIA Director General, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, is working to strengthen health insurance as a means of protecting families from the financial shock of serious illnesses like cancer. A key initiative is the partnership between NHIA and pharmaceutical company Roche, which reduces the cost of selected oncology medicines for eligible insured patients.

Roche covers 50% of the medicine costs, while NHIA contributes 30%. Patients are responsible for the remaining 20%. This cost-sharing structure effectively removes 80% of the medicine cost from the patient's direct financial burden, potentially allowing treatment to continue uninterrupted for households already under economic pressure.

Additionally, NHIA has expanded support for radiotherapy, covering up to N400,000 for eligible patients or providing full coverage based on applicable insurance benefits. The NHIA also maintains benefits for key cancer-related diagnostics, including mammography, CT and MRI scans, bone scans, and laboratory investigations. These measures are part of the broader cancer control agenda of the President Bola Tinubu administration, which has elevated cancer prevention and control as national priorities under the Nigeria National Cancer Control Plan 2026–2030.

This plan covers prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, patient navigation, survivorship, research, data management, and the expansion of the oncology workforce. NHIA measures are designed to complement these efforts, providing financial protection against cancer and other high-cost diseases as the country moves towards a more comprehensive response to the disease.