Ghana Receives Vital Medication for Childhood Cancer Treatment

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has received a significant donation of 1,510 vials of rituximab, a critical medication for treating Burkitt lymphoma, a common childhood cancer. The donation, worth GH¢8 million, was made possible through the joint efforts of Amgen, an international pharmaceutical company, and the Ghana Chapter of World Child Cancer (WCC), a UK-based non-governmental organization.

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Burkitt lymphoma is one of the four childhood cancers included in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) benefit package. Each vial of rituximab costs GH¢5,000, making this donation a significant boost to the government's efforts to treat childhood cancer.

The shipment documents were formally handed over to the GHS on Friday, May 21. Juliet Akuamoah Boateng, Project Coordinator of WCC, emphasized the organization's commitment to supporting victims of childhood cancer. She explained that the donation aims to improve access to essential treatment for children with Burkitt lymphoma in Ghana.

Since 2010, WCC has been working in Ghana, providing capacity-building for healthcare professionals, nutritional and psycho-social support for families and victims, and advocating for the inclusion of childhood cancers in the NHIS benefit package. The organization commended the Ministry of Health and GHS for their crucial role in absorbing all four childhood cancers into the NHIS benefit package.

This donation is a significant step forward in the fight against childhood cancer in Ghana, and the GHS is grateful for the support of Amgen and WCC in this critical effort.