BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

AS part of efforts to ensure survival and strengthening of private hospitals in the country, Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu is seeking the cooperation of banks to offer low interest loans to private hospitals.

He said the move would enable the hospitals to be better equipped. Chukwu who made the call recently during the flagging off the free prostate cancer screening programme at the Chivar Clinics and Urology Centre, in commemoration of the 2011 World Cancer Day Celebration.

“If banks are magnanimous enough to give low interest loans to private hospitals, it would go a long way in improving healthcare delivery in the country,” the Minister noted.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in middle aged men. Chief Medical Director of the Clinic, Dr. Uzoma Azodoh said the exercise was part of their corporate social responsibility in the interest of the health of FCT residents as well as to support the National Health Policy.

Azodoh said from available figures, two new cases are seen every week at the National Hospital Abuja. Over 90 percent of prostate cancer patients in Nigeria present at an advanced stage.

He noted that the combination of public enlightenment and free mass screening (spot test) will encourage prostate screening in men aged 40 and above to encourage early detection as well as reduce deaths.