By Joseph Erunke, ABUJA

The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, NICRAT, has said that the current cancer data being relied upon by it and other agencies are mere estimates.

To this end ,the agency has begun talks with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency,NPHCDA, to launch what it called National Indicator and Impact Survey to know the exact cancer burden in Nigeria.

The indicator and impact survey, according to the NICRAT Director General, Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu, will precisely and accurately cancer prevalence, economic impact and resource gaps of cancer in the country.

A statement on Sunday morning by Hassan Zaggi, Head, Media/Publicity Unit of NICRAT, said Prof. Aliyu stated this when he visited the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency,NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, in Abuja.

“Most of the data that we are currently working with are just mere estimates and is not telling good of the country. We want to partner with you because you have the existing structure and expertise to push this survey.

“We are also requesting that we form a technical committee with members from the two agencies. The committee will determine the partnership and collaboration between the two sister agencies in the area of health promotion, lifestyle modification and cancer awareness campaign.

“We can have a team that will fashion out partnership between the two agencies in the implementation of National Cervical Cancer Screening, HPV DNA testing.

“The two agencies can also identify and work out modalities for collaborative research in the area of behavioral and implementation service at PHCs level on the programmes and activities leading to cancer prevention and control,”the NICRAT DG said.

The NICRAT Director General also sought for the support of the NPHCDA in designing and launching a national cervical cancer screening programme as a follow up to the HPV vaccine programme that has been rolled out.

Other areas NICRAT is seeking the collaboration and support of the NPHCDA, Prof. Malami listed, include leveraging on the already existing massive structure of the NPHCDA to integrate the activities of cancer prevention at the PHC level.

“We also want you to support the inclusion of cancers as part of integrated disease surveillance system of the country. We can see the possibility of integrating cancer as disease surveillance in the system that is already existing,” Prof. Malami said.

While commending the NPHCDA Executive Director for the recent launch of the HPV vaccination campaign, the NICRAT Director General disclosed that two months ago, his Institute launched three important documents for the country in the area of cancer research.

“The first one is the review of the five year strategic cancer plan for the country (2023-2027). The second one was the launching of the cervical cancer control plan. Then the third one is a brand new cancer research plan for the country,” he said.

Speaking, the Executive Director of the NPHCDA, Dr. Muyi Aina, commended the NICRAT Director General for the initiative, noting that there is a lot of opportunities for collaboration between the two agencies.

While expressing concern about the rising cases of Non-Communicable Diseases ,NCDs in the country, Dr. Aina said: “I can assure you cancer screening and testing at the PHC level are at the top of my agenda. We can’t ignore cancer treatment. I have a special and personal interest in cancer care.

“There is a lot of opportunity for collaboration between the NPHCDA and NICRAT. I like the idea of a technical committee and we will work around it,”he said.