Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has announced government’s decision to absorb the cost of Hydroxyurea, a modifying therapy for sickle cell patients under the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS.
Hydroxyurea is a treatment process for sickle cell anemia, which helps to prevent the formation of sickle-shaped red blood cells.
Dr. Bawumia made the announcement in a Facebook post to mark Sickle Cell Awareness Daylast on Saturday.
He said stakeholders, including President of the Sickle Cell Foundation, Professor Ohene-Frimpong, Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu, the National Health Insurance Authority and NOVARTIS, a pharmaceutical company agreed after a meeting that Hydroxyurea be provided under the NHIS to improve the physical health of people living with Sickle Cell disease.
The Vice President said the move is in fulfilment of a promise made by President Akufo-Addo in the run-up to the 2020 general election, to place the therapy under NHIS.
