Pfizer moves to reduce mortality rate in breast cancer

Foremost pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, has unveiled Project Afya, a patient assistance program aimed at improving access to life-saving medications and boosting cancer care and autoimmune disease management. 

Project Afya, Pfizer stated, is supporting patients suffering from two disease areas namely oncology (specifically breast cancer) and rheumatoid arthritis in low income urban and rural areas.

Country Manager and Cluster Lead West Africa for Pfizer, Olayinka Subair, told newsmen that in partnership with IQVIA, the platform is helping to reduce therapy costs for eligible patients with the support of government’s health insurance in collaboration with key partners such as NGOs and charities.

He said, “Project Afya is particularly significant for a country such as Nigeria where research shows that breast cancer accounts for 16.4% of the cancer mortality rate, followed by cervical cancer (12%) and prostate cancer (11%) and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid is a significant medical condition in Nigeria, affecting mostly women.

“Project Afya is aimed at alleviating some of the pressure on the country’s already over-burdened healthcare system, where large numbers of people need greater access to specialized medicines. Addressing this healthcare gap will go a long way towards improving treatment outcomes.”

Olayinka furher disclosed that to close the patient affordability gap and increase patient’s access to much needed oncology treatments, Pfizer partnered with the American Cancer Society and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) on a deepening access to cancer treatments.

He said, “The aim is to reduce the price of 16 priority and quality-assured medicines by almost 50 percent in six countries in Africa. Since the launch of the program in 2019, several patients have accessed life-saving chemotherapy treatment.

“In tackling the challenges of healthcare financing and access, our Project Taksit, a novel payment program (in partnership with mPharma) enables patients to pay via instalments.

Project Taksit is providing patients with immediate access to their medication while enabling them to pay over 30 days with majority of the enrollees being patients paying out of pocket and insured patients whose plan is not covering the full length of hospital stay. The program is running in more than 20 Hospitals with plans to scale up.

“Universal healthcare coverage in Nigeria has faced serious setbacks with majority of the populace paying out of pockets. The breakthrough therapies offered by Pfizer through Project Afya are aimed at extending and significantly improving the lives of people.

“The various patient assistance programs are intended to help patients start, stay on and complete their treatments. The program forms part of Pfizer’s relentless drive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines.”