WHO, Coronavirus
… As FG allays fears; upgrades seven tertiary health institutions for cancer management
…slashes prices of 16 cancer drugs to avert deaths
By Luminous Jannamike
World Health Organisation, WHO has projected a 60 per cent increase in cancer cases picked from Nigeria and other developing countries by 2040, if urgent steps were not taken to equip health centres with facilities to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease.
The UN health agency stated this on Tuesday in a statement posted on its website to commemorate 2020 World Cancer Day.
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According to WHO, the greatest increase in new cases would occur in countries such as Nigeria where survival rates were low.
“This is largely because these countries have had to focus limited health resources on combating infectious diseases and
improving maternal and child health, while health services were not equipped to prevent, diagnose and treat cancers,” the statement read.
It disclosed that in 2019, more than 90 per cent of high-income countries reported that comprehensive treatment services for
cancer was available in the public health system compared to less than 15 per cent of low-income countries.
The WHO statement quoted Ren Minghui, Assistant Director-General of the apex healthy body, as saying that “It is a wake-up call to all.
“It is a wake-up call to all of us to tackle the unacceptable inequalities between cancer services in rich and poor countries.
“If people have access to primary care and referral systems, cancer can be detected early, treated effectively and cured.
Cancer should not be a death sentence for anyone, anywhere.”
According to Nigeria National Cancer Prevention and Control Plan (2018-2022), cancer is responsible for 72,000 deaths in Nigeria each year with an estimated 102,000 new cases annually.
FG upgrades seven tertiary health institutions for cancer management
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has allayed fears of a rise in Nigeria’s cancer burden; saying it has upgraded seven tertiary health institutions to manage invasive cancer and cancer-related illnesses in the country.
Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of Health, stated this on Tuesday at a press briefing in Abuja, to mark the 2020 World Cancer Day.
According to him, the seven upgraded institutions are University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Lagos, and University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan.
Others are University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Amadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABTH), Zaria and National Hospital, Abuja.
He said, “There is an ongoing installation process of newly acquired Brachytherapy machines (one per centre) and CT simulators are being supplied for these institutions to enable them to commence treatment after the installations.
“The bunkers to house this equipment are at various levels of completion. To ensure uninterrupted services to patients, LUTH, Lagos is on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement with National Sovereign Investment Authority.”
The Minister also said the government was partnering the American Cancer Society (ACS) and Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to make 16 chemotherapy medications available at 65 per cent cheaper than current market cost.
“There is an ongoing engagement with other organisations to bring additional medicines including biologics and immunotherapy at less the present cost in the market. This is to ensure regular and unbroken supply of these drugs.
“In affect to ameliorate the sufferings of victims, the ministry is already in the process of developing a National Hospice and Palliative Care policy.
“This is intended to provide the best quality of life for cancer patients, survivors and their families,” Ehanire added.
These policy measures, he said, were taken with a view to averting millions of preventable deaths arising from cancer in accordance with the international best practices.
The Minister stressed that the government had also laid a solid foundation upon which it would make Nigeria the hub of cancer management in sub-Saharan Africa.
“This will help to curb medical tourism and reducing capital flight to the barest minimum,’’ the Minister said.
He, therefore, called on all and sundry to join in the onslaught against this ‘multiple-headed monster’ known as cancer.
Also speaking, Joseph Amedu, the Director of Hospital Services at the Federal Ministry of Health, revealed that the equipment installation at the seven upgraded institutions listed by the Minister had reached 80 per cent completion.
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