Stakeholders Call for Collaborative Actions to Boost Cancer Care

Healthcare services stakeholders have called for urgent collaborative action to stem the widening gap in cancer treatment in the country.

At a high-level Executive Business Networking Dinner held in Lagos, healthcare leaders, policymakers, investors, financial institutions and hospital executives, participants called for collaborative actions to address the crisis in the management of cancer cases in Nigeria.

On a collective note, they identified critical infrastructure deficits as a threat to healthcare delivery across the country as they warned that urgent investments and stronger partnerships are needed to stem the widening cancer care gap and poor healthcare infrastructure.

The organisers of the event, global healthcare technology company, SHINVA Medical Solutions and Hospital Assist Nigeria (HAN), unveiled fresh plans to support oncology expansion, infection prevention and hospital modernisation across Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of Hospital Assist Nigeria, Dr. Wale Alabi, described the SHINVA-HAN collaboration as a strategic platform designed to deliver world-class healthcare technologies while strengthening local technical capacity and sustainable healthcare systems.

According to him, the partnership goes beyond medical equipment deployment to include training, maintenance support and long-term healthcare infrastructure development.

“The collaboration is designed to improve cancer care, infection prevention, hospital operations and overall healthcare outcomes across Nigeria,” Alabi stated.

He explained that building local technical expertise and sustainable maintenance structures would be critical to ensuring the long-term functionality of advanced healthcare technologies deployed across Nigerian hospitals.

Highlighting SHINVA’s global capabilities, the company’s Africa Business Network Representative, Mr. Kelvin Chen, said Nigeria remains one of Africa’s most strategic healthcare markets.

He noted SHINVA’s growing footprint across Africa and other international markets, presenting the company’s portfolio in oncology, radiotherapy, medical imaging, pharmaceutical equipment, sterilisation systems and healthcare infrastructure solutions.

Chen pointedly emphasised SHINVA’s Linear Accelerators and industrial sterilisation technologies, describing them as critical tools for strengthening cancer treatment and infection prevention capacity in Nigeria.

“We are committed to long-term partnerships in Nigeria and ready to collaborate with healthcare providers, governments, investors and development institutions to support healthcare transformation.”

President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, Ms. Njide Ndili, acknowledged the increasing role of the private sector in healthcare delivery and investment in the country.

She, however, urged SHINVA and HAN to ensure that innovative healthcare technologies remain accessible, affordable, scalable and sustainable for Nigerians.

“Healthcare innovation must not only be advanced but also accessible and sustainable if we truly want to improve healthcare outcomes in Nigeria,” Ndili said.

Oncology and healthcare investment strategist, Mr. Fisayo Okunsanya, while speaking on Nigeria’s oncology landscape, painted a grim picture of the country’s cancer treatment infrastructure, noting that existing facilities remain grossly inadequate for the rising number of cancer patients.

Okunsanya identified major investment opportunities in the sector but stressed that sustainable progress would require stronger private-sector participation, innovative financing models and supportive government policies.

“There is a significant gap between cancer treatment demand and existing infrastructure in Nigeria. This presents both a healthcare challenge and a major investment opportunity,” he stated.

The event attracted several top healthcare leaders and decision-makers, including the Chief Medical Director of Redeemer’s Health Village, Dr. Adedamola Dada; Founder and Chairman of Reddington Hospital Group, Dr. Adeyemi Onabowale; former President of AGPMPN, Dr. Anthony Omolola; Chief Medical Officer of Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre, Dr. Misbah Oleolo; Chidinma Chigbo Anachebe of FCMB; Dr. Samuel Keshinro of the Nigerian Police Hospital; Dr. Voke Toye of Biologix Laboratories; Prof. Adebowale Adekoya of LASUTH; Dr. Akinbiyi Oke of Avon Medical Practice; Dr. Babatunde Olujobi, CEO of Donolush Nigeria Ltd.; Iquomma Uboh of HFN; and Luke Wang of ShinvaChina, among other stakeholders.

Discussions during the session focused on healthcare innovation, strategic partnerships, investment opportunities, hospital modernisation, pharmaceutical manufacturing and expanding access to advanced healthcare technologies.

The session was facilitated by the Executive Project Director of Pacific Messages, Moses Braimah, who moderated discussions on healthcare investment opportunities and collaborative strategies for strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Participants agreed that stronger collaboration among technology providers, healthcare institutions, investors and government agencies would be crucial to addressing Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure gaps, particularly in oncology, infection control, hospital modernisation and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Stakeholders expressed optimism that discussions initiated during the networking dinner would catalyse new healthcare partnerships, investments and infrastructure projects capable of strengthening healthcare delivery across the country.