Janssen Ghana Unveils Support Programme for Prostate Cancer Patients

Pharmaceutical giant, Janssen Ghana has launched a major support programme for prostate cancer patients in Ghana.

According to Management, patients living with prostate cancer who are on or are to commence treatment will be supported to be able to afford the treatment, access their medication in the most convenient way.

It says patients will also be aided to keep up doctor appointments, share their concerns regarding the disease and its management and be guided through all the various stages in the disease pathway.

Speaking at the launch recently held in Accra, the Country Manager of Janssen Ghana, Priscilla O. Sekyere, spoke about how her outfit was pushing hard to make its innovative treatment for prostate cancer available to patients in Ghana.

"For a cancer patient, there is a lot involved. From getting to know that you have the disease, going through diagnosis, going through treatment, acquiring medication. You may have questions that you want answered," she said.

Janssen’s implementing partner for the programme is IQVIA. According to Ms. Owusu-Sekyere, IQVIA will provide education on the disease, adherence to treatment, support on where to fill prescriptions conveniently, remind patients to take their medication and be responsible for taking the patient through the journey.

The program has a one-year pilot timeframe and is free of charge.

It comes as Ghana records disturbing cases of prostate cancer. According to a report published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (Globocan) in 2018, about 2132 men are newly diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in Ghana.

Out of the above-mentioned figure, 1,098 men die annually from the disease.

Deputy Minister of Health, Alexander K.K. Abban, in a speech read on his behalf at the launch, lauded Janssen for the support scheme. He bemoaned how Ghana was facing challenges in improving access to cancer treatment and lamented the rising numbers of cancer cases in the country were alarming.

According to him, "another major hindrance to cancer care is a total lack of awareness in the general population on cancers and this is why I wish to commend Janssen for all the work they are doing in the space of prostate cancer and for instituting this patient support programme as a means of improving access to prostate cancer in Ghana."

Background

Janssen is headquartered in Beerse, Belgium and is the pharmaceutical arm of by Johnson & Johnson. The company was established in 1953 by Paul Janssen.

The company is made up of more than 30,000 people working hard to prevent, treat, cure and stop some of the most devastating and complex diseases of our time. From heart disease to HIV, Alzheimer’s disease to cancer, they are committed to issues that touch everyone’s lives.

The mission of Janssen is to transform individual lives and fundamentally change the way diseases are managed, interpreted, and prevented. The company believes that challenging something is the best way to change it. So every day, in more than 150 countries, Janssen brings cutting-edge science and the most creative minds in the industry together to think differently about diseases. The company aims not only to innovate but also to empower people with the tools they need to make informed decisions and achieve the best possible results for their health.

Janssen is looking at a future where the world of healthcare will be challenged by informed and empowered patients. The company works for change that will improve access to medicines: the best available treatment at an affordable price. That’s why Janssen strives to provide access to effective and affordable medicines and related healthcare services to the people who need them.

The company is developing treatments for patients in six important therapeutic areas of healthcare: Cardiovascular & Metabolism, Immunology, Infectious Diseases & Vaccines, Neuroscience, Oncology and Pulmonary Hypertension.

Janssen considers the world as their lab and seeks medical breakthroughs wherever they occur. Their approach to collaboration helps drive their success. By partnering with academic researchers, governments, patient groups, healthcare professionals, and others, the company strives to find answers to some of the most devastating diseases of our time.

The company works with partners at every stage, from early discovery to market access and patient education.

To ensure that commitments are delivered to the people, customers and investors who rely on them, the company works side-by-side with healthcare stakeholders, bringing together experts with the top minds in the field. Together, they look at a future where patients and their families have a new sense of hope.

“We are working toward a common goal – a healthy outcome for each patient. Because ultimately, solving complex problems is about taking a different approach. It’s about how we work and who we work with. It’s about finding the best solutions — and then taking it one step further to help bring those solutions to the people who need them most, wherever they live”.

Janssen collaborates with the world for the health of everyone in it.