Hosseini Abdali, a member of the Health and Treatment Commission of the Parliament, announced the start of the National Cancer Care Network from October and stated that organizing cancer services and creating a clear pathway for patients is an important and necessary action. However, he emphasized that the success of this program depends on its implementation, resource allocation, and real access for patients to services.
Need for Timely Treatment and High Costs
Abdali stated: "A cancer patient primarily needs timely and accessible treatment." He pointed to existing challenges regarding high drug and treatment costs, shortages of equipment and specialized services, and prolonged diagnosis processes, adding: "If the new Ministry of Health program cannot address these issues, its main goal will not be achieved."
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One of the biggest concerns is the high costs of cancer treatment. Abdali explained that patients may face numerous expenses for medication, tests, imaging, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and post-treatment care during their treatment period. He noted: "If insurance support does not match these costs, even placing the patient in a cohesive network will not solve their problem."
Securing Resources and Reducing Out-of-Pocket Payments for Patients
Abdali emphasized that alongside the implementation of the National Cancer Care Network, the necessary resources to support patients must also be timely secured. He said: "Insurances, the special and difficult-to-treat patient support fund, and other supportive resources must operate in a way that patients do not face interruptions in treatment due to financial issues."
He also referred to the issue of reducing out-of-pocket payments for patients, stating: "Reducing out-of-pocket payments should be a clear indicator for evaluating this program. If a patient still has to pay a significant portion of their costs personally after entering the network, it cannot be said that the patient's main problem has been resolved."
Abdali addressed the disparity in access between different regions of the country, stating: "The implementation of the network should not only yield results in provincial centers and large cities. Many patients in smaller towns are forced to travel for specialized services, which imposes additional travel and accommodation costs on the patient's family."
He added: "The Ministry of Health must consider the actual capacity of treatment centers in provinces and towns when designing and implementing this program and define a clear pathway for patients who do not have access to specialized services in their area."
Abdali also stressed the importance of securing specialized personnel and necessary equipment, saying: "If a patient is to be referred to a treatment center based on a clear pathway, we must ensure that the center has the capacity to accept and provide services." He reminded that time is crucial in cancer treatment, and any program that reduces waiting times for diagnosis and treatment should be supported.
Collaboration of Insurances and Focus on Breast Cancer
Abdali pointed to the necessity of insurance collaboration in implementing the new program, stating: "If the patient's treatment pathway is to be defined within the network, insurances must also align themselves with this pathway." He emphasized that a complicated administrative pathway should not be created for cancer patients, and patients should not be required to make multiple visits for each stage of treatment.
Ultimately, Abdali emphasized that the initial focus on breast cancer could provide a suitable opportunity to identify weaknesses and implementation issues. He said: "Our expectation from the Ministry of Health is to advance the implementation of this program with the participation of the Health Commission of the Parliament, insurance organizations, physicians, treatment centers, and patient representatives."
Abdali noted that the main goal of any cancer program should be the patient, and we hope that the National Cancer Care Network becomes a tool for reducing patient problems, facilitating access to treatment, and preventing heavy costs from being imposed on families.
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