The Nigerian cancer health fund: one step toward universal health coverage

Abstract

The Nigeria Cancer Health Fund (CHF) is a laudable federal government intervention (alongside numerous partners) being implemented in six tertiary hospitals across the geopolitical zones of the country. It is a social service aimed at providing funding and health care services for cancer treatment to indigent breast, cervix, and prostate cancer patients in Nigeria. Despite the huge investment, the fund has been largely underutilized with only 22.6% of the 1,807 enrolled patients having their wallets credited with funds, and only 38.2% of the credited funds being utilized by the patients. The CHF has numerous prospects that can ensure universal health coverage for cancer care but not without challenges of implementation. The main challenge has been delays in crediting the wallets of the patients leading to eventual disease progression or death as over 90% are enrolled with stage II and above disease. 

A major recommendation by cancer advocates is that the funds should no longer be domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Health but moved to the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) or the recently launched National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT).