In the framework of its 22nd anniversary, the National Health Insurance (Senasa) presented the results of its research on Tuesday prevalence of cancer in the population affiliated with this Health Risk Administrator (ARS).
Santiago HazimCEO of Senasasaid that since January 2020, 61,714 diagnoses of different types of diseases have been identified. cancer in members of all regimes and plans, with breast cancer being more prevalent in women and of prostate in men.
The doctor called on those who represent the head of the family to begin to strengthen the culture of preventive check-upespecially “at the women which continue to be the most impacted.” Of the 61,714 affiliates with a diagnosis of cancer57% are female patients and 43% are male.
When analyzing the age groups40.38% of the women diagnosed are between 40 and 74 years old; in men, 34.7% of cases are in patients over 50 years old. 5.4% were detected in patients under 19 years old.
The registered cases are concentrated 51.21% in the subsidized regime and 41.41% belong to the contributory regime. 51% of cases are concentrated in Region 0, which includes the National District, Santo Domingo and Monte Plata.
According to the anatomical locationhe cancer in breast (25%), prostate (22%) and lymphohematopoietic (14%) accounted for the largest number of cases.
He cancer Breast cancer occurred most frequently (44.5%) in women between 35 to 60 years followed by colon 15.7% and rectum with 11.5%.
In men, the cancer of prostate was the most frequent, representing 49.83% of the total, with greater involvement among patients aged 65 to 75 years, followed by cancer in it lymphohematopoietic system (15.30%), with predominance among men aged 60 to 74 years.
By April 2024, 84% of the service authorizations health services required by members with cases diagnosed with cancer were concentrated in two providers: 64% corresponded to the Dominican League Against Cancer and 18% to the National Institute of Cancer Rosa Emilia Sánchez Perez de Tavares (Incart).
They abandoned treatment due to lack of money
The authorized amounts for services in the cases of cancer During the period January 2020-April 2024 they reached the sum of RD$16,694,579,117.20.
“More than 70% of patients abandoned the treatment “due to lack of resources,” he admitted. This was the fundamental reason that motivated them to increase coverage from one million pesos to the current two million.
“Here I want to highlight the access to health of all members, but especially those who were not previously covered under the Family Health Insurance and that thanks to the membership of the 2 million today we can reaffirm what the president promised, the universalization of health,” said the official.
Challenges
Hazim indicated that the Government is working on the creation of the National Oncology Network to guarantee treatment in patients living in remote provinces, especially in the Deep South.
Similarly, he called on citizens to carry out their preventive checkups frequently.
“We have to check ourselves, go to the doctor, prevent tumors,” said the head of Senasa.
He also stressed the importance of redoubling efforts in primary care; design comprehensive proposals for health promotion and prevention; review the standardization of national and international regulations, as well as the use of biosimilars for a better cost-benefit ratio, always based on scientific evidence.
