By Joseph Erunke, ABUJA
The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, NICRAT, says over 120,000 new cancer cases are reported yearly in Nigeria.
To this end, the Institute’s Director General, Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu, who disclosed this, vowed that NICRAT would work with all relevant stakeholders to disrupt the dreaded disease in Nigeria through awareness creation and improved access to treatment and research.
“We have mapped out strategies to geometrically increase cancer experts in the country through training and retraining of all categories of health professionals.
“In our commitment and preparedness to disrupt all forms of cancers and ensure those with the illness have access to the best care and support in the country, we recently launched three strategic documents.
“The three documents include National Strategic Cancer Control Plan 2023-2027; National cancer Research Agenda 2024-2027 and National Strategic Plan for Prevention of Cancer of Uterine Cervix 2023-2027.
“All these documents have priority areas of action that address governance, prevention, supply chain management, data and research as well as surveillance, which are in tandem with the aim of the current leadership of the Ministry of Health to improve the health of all Nigerians,” he said.
While commending the President Bola Tinubu-led administration for giving cancer care priority, he said, “this was demonstrated by the recent movement of Cancer Trust Fund from the Federal Ministry of Health to NICRAT.”
This, he noted, will greatly improve the operation of the Institute to tackle all cancer-related issues.
On the efforts made to bring together critical stakeholders in the fight against cancer, the NICRAT Director General said: “Since my assumption of office over nine months ago, we have worked hard to lay a solid foundation for Nigeria to join the league of countries that have all the sophistication to control, prevent, treat and conduct cancer research.
“With the understanding that cancer care and treatment need multi-dimensional and multi-sectoral approach, over the past few months we have built partnership and alliances with relevant agencies of government including the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the National Health Insurance Agency (NHIA) and Civil Society Organisations working in the area of cancer.”
Source: Vanguard