Dubai: Three kinds of curable cancers will be completely covered by insurance in the Essential Basic Package (EBP) under the mandatory health insurance cover provided by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
DHA officials on Sunday announced the launch of the Basmah initiative, making Dubai the first government entity in the world to provide a complete spectrum of care, from screening to treatment, for breast, colorectal and cervical cancers under the EBP. The announcement makes cancer care in these categories effective with effect from today for those having the basic cover, subject to the cancer being detected during routine screening examination.
The Basmah initiative will cover both the screening and treatment of the three cancers under the basic health cover where screening will be strictly as per the international screening criteria.
Dr Haidar Al Yousuf, Director of Health Funding at DHA, said: “This is a milestone in terms of health insurance coverage and we have redefined health insurance through this initiative. Prior to this scheme, cancer coverage under the mandatory health insurance scheme as part of the basic benefit plan was limited to Dh150,000. Now that is no longer the case. Under the scheme, those detected with breast, colorectal or cervical cancer will receive coverage from screening until treatment.”
Humaid Al Qutami, chairman of the Board of Directors and director general of DHA, said: “In line with the vision 2021 plan, this initiative will help in early diagnosis as screening is now a part of the basic benefit plan, additionally, we will be able to provide financial and emotional support to patients suffering from these three types of cancer. This is possible because of the support of our partners, both government and private. Our aim is to provide the highest level of quality care for patients and to support them the best we can.”
How the system will work?
Al Yousuf explained that this was possible because the health-care fraternity has come together to ensure the economies of scale support such a noble initiative. He said: “As part of the initiative, people will go through criteria-based screening. If a patient is detected to have any of the three cancers, the patient will be treated under the Basmah initiative at Dubai Hospital, which is a centre of excellence in cancer care or at a later stage at another recognised centre of excellence in cancer care in Dubai. The patient will receive the same level of treatment as we have ensured unified pathways for cancer care in Dubai.
Dr Yousuf added that once a patient is screened with anyone of these cancers, the complete treatment system would kick in. “Screening is as per criteria which includes several factors such as age of the person, etc. If a patient is detected with any of the three cancers during this screening, the DHA Patient Tracking and follow-Up centre is automatically notified. They then ensure that the complete treatment process for the patient is smooth and streamlined.”
Before this, the funding department recently added screening services for diabetes, heart disease, new born and developmental screening as part of the mandatory health insurance cover.
In future, the department hopes to include screening for other diseases such as Hepatitis C.
The details
What: Screening and complete treatment of three cancers: colorectal, breast and cervical cancer.
Who: All residents with Essential Basic Package (EBP) under mandatory health insurance covered. This includes blue collar workers, domestic helps, salon workers and any one opting for the basic package.
How: Once cancer is detected during screening, DHA follow up and the patient-tracking system will receive notification, streamlining treatment that will be received at the Dubai Hospital, the largest centre for cancer care under DHA.
