The Federal Government said it is collaborating with the private sector to tackle the rising cancer cases in Nigeria.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa, gave the assurance in Abuja on Thursday at a meeting with officials of Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre & Specialist Hospital, Lagos, who have recently secured accreditation from the National Postgraduate Medical College to offer a residency programme in clinical and radiation oncology.
The minister, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Research and Innovation, Dr. Lolade Adeyemi, noted that the milestone, being the first of its kind for a private hospital in Nigeria, represents a significant leap forward in Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
He said, “The inception of this residency programme is not merely an academic achievement, but a vital contribution towards addressing the critical shortage of oncology specialists in Nigeria.
“By providing first-class postgraduate training in clinical and radiation oncology, the hospital is playing a pivotal role in the collective mission to improve health outcomes for cancer patients, and advance the overall standard of medical care in Nigeria.”
The Minister commended the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre, Dr Modupe Elebute-Odunsi, for her visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to enhancing the capacity and quality of oncology care in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, in her remarks, Odunsi highlighted the need for more enlightenment to reduce people’s vulnerability and exposure to cancer.
She said, “We are delighted to participate in much-needed capacity building to increase the number of oncology specialists by the provision of first-class postgraduate clinical and radiation oncology training within the country.
“We understand the profound responsibility that comes with this accreditation, hence we will craft an exemplary curriculum that not only meets but exceeds international benchmarks.
“Additionally, this partnership with NPMC and the Federal Ministry of Health marks a significant step towards fortifying the capacity of our healthcare workforce in the specialized field of oncology.”
Recently, the Director-General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, Dr Usman Aliyu, stated that Nigeria’s cancer figure is scary, and projected that the figure will double if nothing is done.
Aliyu said, “An estimated number of cases is just a tip of what is happening. There are a lot of people who are affected and dying but are not captured in the number. So, the cancer figure is scary. The projection is that the figure will double if nothing is done.”
According to data from the Global Cancer Observatory, there were 127,763 new cancer cases and 79,542 deaths in 2022.
For both sexes, the data showed that breast cancer led the chart with an estimated 32,278 cases (25.3 per cent), followed by prostate cancer with 18,019 cases (14.1 per cent); cervical cancer with 13,676 (10.7 per cent); colorectum cancer with 8,114 (6.4 per cent); Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma cancer 5,194 (4.1 per cent); and others 50,482 (39.5 per cent).