HOPE has been rekindled for provision of holistic cancer care and management in Nigeria following the coming together of eminient Nigerian philanthropists to tackle the menace of the disorder.

*Cancer cell

At the maiden edition of the Centurions’ Luncheon on Tuesday March 1, 2016 in Abuja,  the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo  hosted the 100 most philanthropic Nigerians, who pledged to provide health care at the grassroots through  provision of at least one life-saving Mobile Cancer Centre for each State of the Federation and one Comprehensive Cancer Centre for each geopolitical zone of the country.

Osinbajo who described the Centurions as the 100 most eminent philanthropists of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, noted that there is hardly any family in Nigeria that has not been affected in one way or another by cancer, saying his own family is no exception, having lost a sister-in-law and a mother-in-law to cancer..

The Vice President said each Centurion is a man or woman that is investing personal resources to create positive change and make life better for the masses, through the practice of massive, exceptional and far-reaching philanthropy, at a national level.

Big War against cancer

He stated that the Centurions’ Luncheon would be an annual event on the first Tuesday in March as an exclusive and epochal event which also kicks off the #GivingTuesday celebration for each year.

The #GivingTuesday activities in Nigeria is powered by the  Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy in Nigeria, CECP and Osinbajo is the National Patron of #GivingTuesday.

Good Health Weekly gathered that the principal aim of CECP is to provide a platform through which the private sector can support the developmental efforts of government.

Its flagship focal cause  is the “BIG WAR Against Cancer in Nigeria” aimed at “Taking holistic health care to the Grassroots” by the provision of at least one Mobile Cancer Centres for each State of the Federation and one Comprehensive Cancer Centres for each geopolitical zone.

The CECP is  being promoted by six of the core bodies of the Organised Private Sector. They include the Institute of Directors (IoD); Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA).

Others are Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), and Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Three philanthropists that sponsored the first two Mobile Cancer Centres are the current President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; the Immediate Past President of the NSE and President of the Dangote Foundation, Mr. Aliko Dangote and the Managing Director of the Folawiyo Group, Dr. Tunde Folawiyo.

In all, Centurions present made pledges totaling 13 Mobile Cancer Centres. The CEO, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia single-handedly pledged 10 Mobile Cancer Centres while three others, Mrs. Winifred Akpani (Nortwest Petroleum & Gas); Mr. Tonye Cole (Sahara Energy), and Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim (Global Fleet Group), pledged one Centre each.

A host of other Centurions  donated towards the Mobile Cancer Centres.

According to the World Health Organisation, over 100,000 Nigerians are diagnosed with cancer annually, and about 80,000 die mainly as a result of poor health facilities.