A Paediatric Specialist at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) wants the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to cover children with cancer.

Dr Lawrence Osei Tutu says the majority of children suffering from cancer die because their parents are unable to afford to pay their hospital bills or buy medicines for them.

”Sometimes when you tell parents the cost involved after cancer treatment they will tell you they cannot bear the cost and they will demand to go home with their children,” he observes.

He revealed that only a fraction of children suffering various cancer cases get cured because they have the resources to undergo treatment, adding cancer-treatment facilities do not receive any funding from the government.

He has therefore appealed to stakeholders and government to help build a cancer facility at the KATH.

The NHIA says on its website that over 95% of disease conditions are covered by the scheme, including the following:

Malaria, acute respiratory tract infection, diarrhoeal disease, skin disease and ulcers, hypertension, acute eye infection, rheumatism, anaemia, intestinal worms disorders, acute ear infection, typhoid fever, dental caries, diabetes mellitus, STIs, asthma, among others.