By Gabriel Olawale

Old students of Maryland Comprehensive SecondarySchool (Landers ’88) Reunion Club has called on Federal and State governments to provide adequate funding to equip government hospitals with necessary tools required for early diagnosis and prompt treatment of cancer in Nigeria.

Speaking at the 3rd Omolara Jolaoso Memorial Lecture, President of the Club, Mr. Soji Adekobe said the current status of cancer care in the country is worrisome.

Adekogbe represented by the Vice President, Mr. Dipo Komolafe stated: “We are aware that radiotherapy equipment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and University College Hospital, Ibadan, broke down for months. My last check reveals that it is only the one at LUTH that is functional at present and patients are held up on waiting list for several months.

“You can imagine someone coming from Maiduguri to Lagos for this treatment when we have only one machine working in the whole of Nigeria. Sadly, many die ever before it gets to their turn. This definitely cannot be the blueprint for cancer treatment in Nigeria.

“The Federal and State governments need to wake up to their responsibilities to the citizens of Nigeria and declare a purpose driven state of emergency in the health sector.”

Komolafe said the death of their classmate, Omolara Jolaoso, encouraged the  lecture in her memory. She was diagnosed with breast cancer around 2010 and later died in 2013 as a result of late detection.

“Omolara was a dedicated member of Landers ’88 and was desirous of sharing her experience and providing succour to those that newly discover their breast cancer status, the role she played effectively until her death.

It is this desire that inspired Landers’88 to partner with a reputable  cancer Foundation, Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria, to immortalise her name by institutionalizsng Breast Cancer Awareness Lecture in her memory,” he explained.