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NHIS covers cancer surgeries, chemotherapy – ES

NHIS covers cancer surgeries, chemotherapy – Scribe

(L-R) Founder of Medicaid Cancer Foundation, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu , the Executive Secretary of NHIS, Prof. Mohammed Sambo
(L-R) Founder of Medicaid Cancer Foundation, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu ,
The Executive Secretary of NHIS, Prof. Mohammed Sambo

By Talatu Maiwada
Cancer
Abuja, Oct. 23, 2019 (NAN) Prof. Mohammed Sambo, the Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), says the scheme now covers some levels of cancer treatment in its benefit package.
This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja by Mr Ayo Osinlu, the Head, Media and Public Relations, NHIS.
It said Sambo made this known when he received Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, the Kebbi State First Lady, during a working visit.
Sambo expressed concern about the high prevalence of cancer, saying NHIS will continue to explore ways of working with public-spirited organisations and individuals to increase support for cancer patients.
“The Scheme seized the opportunity of the review of its operational guidelines in 2012 to remove cancer from the exclusion list of its benefit package.
“Consequently, some levels of cancer surgeries and chemotherapy are now covered under the scheme,’’ the statement read in part.
Sambo mentioned that innovative healthcare financing would open up resources for effective support for patients with capital-intensive conditions such as cancer.
He however called on government and non-governmental organisations involved in creating awareness about cancer and building support for cancer patients to intensify their advocacy.
He said such engagements should be directed to the appropriate authorities and institutions, for institutionalisation of innovative healthcare financing, such as special taxes on smoking and telecommunication.
Sambo added that the revenue from such special taxes alongside proceeds dedicated to funding healthcare would go a long way in supporting vulnerable groups as well as cancer patients in our society.
The NHIS scribe further commended Shinkafi-Bagudu, Founder Medicaid Cancer Foundation, for her enormous work to advance the human course and selfless service over many years to tame the scourge of cancer.
He pledged the commitment of NIHS to work with the First Lady and her foundation, now and in the future, to ensure that cancer does not subdue humanity in our environment.
Responding, the Kebbi state First Lady solicited the support of NHIS in the various activities of the foundation including creating awareness, advocacy, cancer screening and support for victims.
She expressed regret that most patients of cancer do not have the economic capacity to help themselves, stressing that `it is a challenge we must all accept and rise up to confront and together we can do much more’.
Shinkafi-Bagudu is a paediatric consultant, a voice in the fight against cancer, a child’s right champion, whose advocacy for women, children and youth is evident in areas of health, education and skills acquisition. (NAN)
TIM/AMM/MST
Edited by Abiemwense Moru/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NGO performs 174 cleft surgeries in 4 weeks

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer
Clef
Abuja, Sept. 4, 2019 (NAN) Oral Health Advocacy Initiative (OHAI), an NGO, in collaboration with a U.S charity body, Smile Train, has performed cleft surgeries for not fewer than 174 Nigerians.

The Executive Director of OHAI, Dr Ver-or Ngutor, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja that the feat was achieved through strategic partnership with Smile Train and the Federal Ministry of Health.

Ngutor said the surgeries were performed in Benue, Kebbi, Yobe and Kano States.

NAN reports that cleft lip is a variation of a type of congenital deformity, caused by abnormal facial development during gestation period leading to non-fusion of facial structure before birth.

Ngutor, fellow of the West African College of Surgeons and lead surgeon, further disclosed that the cleft surgical operations was conducted by a team of doctors and other health workers trained on cleft management.

“We as an organisation have over the years mobilised resources to addressing the challenges of cleft amongst our people.

“We have our operations spread across 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory, and are determined to reach to as much patients that are affected by cleft.

“From 2011 when we commenced cleft surgery programme, we have done over 3,500 safe surgeries. This was recognised in 2017 when our major donor, Smile Train, named us ‘Global Leader in Cleft Care in Africa’ for complying with best practices.

“In the month of August 2019 alone, we were able to successfully carry out 174 surgeries with the support of the Benue, Kebbi and Yobe state governments as well as Rano Health Care and Community Development Initiative in Kano state”, he said.

Ngutor added that OHAI’s mission was to reach out to the rural dwellers that are hard to reach.

According to him, 90 per cent of medical doctors live and practice in urban centres while living a great majority of the populace unattended and at a great risk of the ravages of Oro-facial diseases.

“OHAI recently signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Health.

“The aim of the MoU is to facilitate collaboration through the provision of technical assistance, capacity building, training, knowledge and skill transfer to meet health challenges and partnership in professionalism,” Ngutor said. (NAN)
CMY/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

DASH performs over 10 surgeries daily – CMD

DASH performs over 10 surgeries daily – CMD
By Sunday John
Surgeries
Lafia, Aug. 21, 2019 (NAN) The Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH), Lafia, Nasarawa State, says the facility is performing an average of 10 surgeries daily.
Dr Hassan Ikrama, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lafia.
According to him, the specialist hospital has sufficient technical and other specialists to cater for the increasing number of patients patronising the facility daily.
He said that the hospital at the moment has the highest number of Consultants at the different speciality of medical profession.
“We have 37 permanent and other visiting consultants in different fields, over 100 Doctors apart from Nurses, Pharmacists and Laboratory Technicians, among others.
“There is no Specialist Hospital in the entire country at the moment that has the number of consultants we have.
“The government has also acquired brand new machines for the newly constructed neurology Block recently built by the state government.
“The government has also bought brand new city scan and digital Xray machines that patients were hitherto sent to Keffi or Jos because we do not have them.
“Already, the digital Xray machine is being used, but we are currently training personnel on how to operate the city scan machine,” the CMD added.
Ikrama also assured members of the public that the management of the hospital would do everything possible to ensure better service delivery. (NAN)
SDJ/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Avoid plastic surgeries, Expert warns

Avoid plastic surgeries, Expert warns
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Surgery
Abuja, Jan. 31, 2019 (NAN) Dr Biodun Ogungbo, a Neurological Surgeon with a private hospital in Abuja, has warned Nigerians to avoid unsafe plastic surgery to prevent risking their health.
Ogungbo gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
“Recently, there has been a rash of complications following plastic surgery in Abuja.
“Many patients going to have liposuction or indeed fat transfers to have a bigger butt have ended up with massive infections and even a stroke in one case,” he said.
Ogungbo said cheap surgery was not synonymous with good or safe surgery.
He said the cheap, unsafe operations further erode the confidence in local practice.
“It is very difficult to lose a bad reputation, even if it is unjustified. The bad news travel far and wide and it forces more Nigerians to consider medical tourism.
“Anyway, the disappointment dissipated very fast, as we got to grips with clients who appreciate the worth of providing local solutions right here in the heart of the nation.
“Clients who are prepared to pay a fair price for solutions here in Nigeria. Many know full well that the cost of surgery in Nigeria is a fraction of what it costs going abroad,” Ogungbo said.
He said one of the reasons why surgeries were expensive was the deployment of human and material resources to ensure the success of the operation.
“We need to be able to cover all bases and not cut corners, if we want to achieve a good outcome.
“This is an increasingly recurring decimal where clients want the best but will not pay for it,’’ Ogungbo said.
He however said there was need to continue to provide a safe environment for the patient, saying that Nigerians should ensure they go to reputable surgeon who knows what is required. (NAN)
OEO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Medical practitioner seeks stakeholders’ collaboration to reduce surgery costs

Medical practitioner seeks stakeholders’ collaboration to reduce surgery costs
By Ummul Idris
Abuja, Nov. 16, 2018 (NAN) Dr Celsius Undie, the Medical Director, Kelina Hospital, Abuja, has called on institutions, individuals and other stakeholders to partner with hospitals to reduce the cost of surgeries in Nigeria.

Undie made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

He said that with partnership and financial support from stakeholders, more patients would be able afford the cost of surgeries to improve their health.

He said that his hospital was ready to collaborate with any agency with the aim of lowering the cost of surgeries for patients to make it possible for more people to have surgeries.

“Surgeries  are expensive, if any agency is ready to make it easier for us to have payment to get manpower training and to make life easier for average Nigerians we are ready to collaborate.

“The hospital is collaborating with Surgical Foundation. When surgical foundation came on board we called all our patients who have prostrate cancer and have stopped coming for treatment because it is expensive.”

According to Undie it is frustrating for a Medical Doctor when a patient does not have money or support to do his or her treatment.

Undie said that Surgical Foundation had collaborated with the hospital, and spent more than N50 million supporting poor people.

He also urged government to help to reduce the cost of importing medical facilities into the country.

He said there were charges that healthcare providers and healthcare institutions have to pay to government before importing medical equipment.

“You have to get approval from NAFDAC, Standard organization of Nigeria, even for equipment that is certified and standardised all over the world. We have to pay fees.

“What we need to do is to collaborate with standard and certified organization in the world because we don’t even have the technology to taste the equipment but NAFDAC want to re-certify,” he said. (NAN)
UMD/DOE/MST
Edited by Dianabasi Effiong/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Surgeries: Medical practitioner suggests collaboration to reduce cost

Surgeries: Medical practitioner suggests collaboration to reduce cost
By Ummul Idris
Surgeries
Abuja, Nov. 16, 2018 (NAN) Dr Celsius Undie, the Medical Director, Kelina Hospital, Abuja, on Friday called on institutions, individuals and other stakeholders to partner with healthcare providers to reduce the cost of surgeries in Nigeria.
Undie gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He said that with partnership and financial support from stakeholders, more patients would be able afford surgeries that were required to improve their health.
He said that his hospital was ready to collaborate with any agency in any possible way to lower the cost for patients who required surgeries.
“Surgeries are expensive, if any agency is ready to subsidise payment for manpower training, it would make life easier for the average Nigeria.
“The hospital is collaborating with a surgical foundation.
“When the foundation came on board, we called all our patients who have prostate cancer and who had stopped treatment because of the high cost.
“That was good because a doctor feels frustrated when they have a patient that cannot have treatment for an illness because they do not have the money for that,’’ he noted.
Undie also urged government to help reduce the cost of importing medical equipment into the country.
He said that the charges healthcare providers and institutions had to pay to government before importing medical equipment was one of the reasons for the high cost of medical care in Nigeria.
“You have to get approval from NAFDAC, Standards Organisation of Nigeria; and even for equipment that is certified and standardised all over the world; we have to pay for that,’’ he said. (NAN)
UMD/DOR/MST
Edited by Nyisom Dore/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

American NGO, Kebbi Govt conduct 600 free surgeries

American NGO, Kebbi Govt conducts 600 free surgeries
NAN-H-5
Treatment
By Shuaibu Tatu
Kargo (Kebbi State), Nov. 1, 2017 (NAN) Moses-Lake Foundation of U.S. in conjunction with the Kebbi State Government have conducted free surgeries for over 600 patients in an on-going free medical outreach in the state.
Briefing journalists on Wednesday at the Kargo Specialist Hospital, the state Director, Medical Services, Dr Aminu Bunza, said the medical outreach was in furtherance of the administration’s resolve to provide quality healthcare.
Bunza explained that the outreach was in collaboration with medical personnel from the USA and different teaching hospitals in the country.
“The state has made a lot of impact as the outreach entered its second week at the Specialist Hospital, Kargo, and 600 patients with surgical cases have been attended to,” he said.
According to the director, more than 160 medical doctors are attending to patients in the six theatres in the hospital while 600 patients are treated of various ailments.
Bunza said that the medical team comprised of specialists in every sphere of healthcare attending to all manner of ailments.
He further said that drugs were also provided and administered free off charge to patients and implored people of the state with different ailments to avail themselves of the opportunity.
According to him, the exercise will last for three weeks and patients whose cases were not terminated will be referred to conventional hospitals for follow up.
He commended the people of the state who voluntarily donated blood and other essential materials to the hospital.
He noted that more than 50 pints of blood had been donated by individuals for onward transfusion to patients that needed blood.
The News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) reports that no fewer than 2,000 people benefitted from the free medical outreach as at the early hours of Wednesday. (NAN)
SZT/AOS/MST
Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

JUTH conducts free surgeries for 80 persons in Plateau

NAN-H-1
Surgeries
Jos, March 14, 2017 (NAN)The Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), has carried out free surgeries for 80 indigent persons in the southern part of Plateau, according to its Chief Medical Director (CMD), Dr. Edmund Banwat.

Banwat told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday in Jos that the surgeries were conducted at the JUTH Comprehensive Health Centre in Zamko, Langtang South Local Government.

He said that the surgical procedures were for Hernia, eye problems such as cataract, and fibroid.

According to him, both children and adults benefited from the Hernia repairs surgery.

The CMD said that the hospital also screened people for breast, cervical and prostate cancers, as well as diabetes and hepatitis B.

Banwat said that the exercise was part of the Presidential Rapid Initiative Programme of the Federal government, specifically aimed at assisting the poor.

NAN reports that the Minister of Health, Dr. Isaac Adewale, had directed tertiary health institutions to carry out  surgeries and screenings targeted at “the poorest of the poor”.

“To get the poorest of the poor, we established a guideline, which we used to assess people in the zones so as to arrive at those in that category,” he explained.

Banwat disclosed that JUTH would conduct a similar exercise in the central and northern parts of the state.

“Our target is to go round the three senatorial zones before the end of March,” he said. (NAN)
UBO/ETS

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Edited by Ephraims Sheyin