Barriers to Accessing Affordable Anticancer Medications in Nigeria: A Patient-Centric Perspective

Abstract

Background: Limitations to accessing affordable medications for cancer patients in Nigeria is increasing on a daily basis. Several government interventions have been established to address the affordability of drugs for patients at treatment centers. However, they haven’t been commensurate improvement in patient outcome due to barriers to accessing these medications. This manuscript provides a critical examination of the barriers to affordability of anticancer medications in Nigeria, offering a unique patient-centric perspective that is often underrepresented in healthcare research. Methodology: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey amongst patients that are 18 years and above with Cancers and other tumor diseases in the Oncology unit of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) who were willing to participate in the study. Interview based questionnaire distribution was utilized in data collection. 200 questionnaires were distributed, 180 were returned hence giving us (98% response rate) and making our sample size (n= 180). Data gotten was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The IBM statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was utilized. Results: A total of 180 participants were included in the study, there was an unequal distribution of respondents’ gender (44.4% males and 55.6% females). Only about 36.7% of participants reported to be within the age range of (46- 55 years) which was the most participated age range. More than 60% of the study participants are married. Just about half of the study participants had their monthly incomes between fifty thousand to ninety-nine thousand naira while others earned less. Conclusion: In this study, barriers to accessing affordable anticancer medications were noted. Government aiding /subsidizing the cost of anticancer medication as well as availability of anti-cancer medicines in government hospitals should be improved.