Cancer Society to Mobilise N10bn Fund to Tackle Scourge in Nigeria

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS) has said it is planning to launch a N10 billion cancer health fund to be driven by the private sector to serve as an alternative source of funding for cancer treatment and management in the country.


The body also appealed to the federal government to increase the amount allocated to Cancer Health Fund to help address the health menace.
It said that NCS expected the government to vote at least N1 billion for the Cancer Health Fund for this fiscal year.


Speaking at a Seminar for Health Correspondents in Abuja organised by the Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS) in conjunction with PATHFINDER, President of NCS, Prof. Abidemi Omonisi, said the organisation is working on an initiative to mobilize funds from individuals and private sector entities to the tune of N10 billion in support cancer management interventions in the country.


“The government is committed to addressing cancer in Nigeria, but we need more resources to effectively tackle the disease. We are launching this initiative with the goal of raising at least N10 billion naira to support treatment, research, and awareness programs,” said the NCS President.


He explained that the fund will be an independent initiative, with prominent Nigerians and organizations being mobilized to back the cause, including leading figures in the medical, philanthropy and the private sector.


Omonisi further said: “We are appealing for reasonable allocation government but whether this materializes or not, NCS will still go ahead to launch an initiative to attract N1 billion into the Cancer Health Fund from private sector stakeholders”.
He described as paltry, the money allocated by government for the Cancer Health Fund in the proposed 2025 budget.


He said in view of the huge cost attached to cancer management, NCS will mobilize a private sector-led fund to tune of N1 billion to help provide hospital facilities and assistance to cancer patients.
According to Omonisi, cancer disease treatment is very capital-intensive exercise which often requires about N20 million for a single individual case management.


He further said: “We are pressing on to see that federal government increases its allocation to cancer fund in this year’s budget. If they do so we will still launch the private sector-led fund.
“Cancer management is very capital-intensive health exercise and we are serious pressure to assist many patients who are confronted by the disease situation. We expect the federal government to do its own while we will do ours”.


Omonisi however acknowledged that giant strides are being made by the federal government as well as significant progress made in the effort to tackle cancer disease in the country.
According him, Nigeria has recorded significant increase in provision of cancer screening and treatment facilities.


He said there are about 20 cancer specialists’ centres across the country
The immediate past president of NCS, Dr. Adu Hassan said the focus of the seminar with the journalists was to seek better working relationship and need to create more awareness on the deployment of HPV vaccine for girl child between the age bracket of 9 and 14 years.


He said that presently two-third of cancer cases in Africa are preventable if only people are aware of the need to seek early medical diagnosis and treatment.
Explaining the reason for administering the HPV vaccine to female children within age bracket of 9 to 14 years, Dr. Adamu said that the aim is to ensure that they are given vaccine immunity to prevent them from being infected by virus, hence preventing them from coming down cervical cancer later in life.


He also said a good reason for vaccinating children within the age bracket is that HPV vaccine is more effective in prevention of the cervical cancer disease if applied to individuals not yet exposed to sex.
In his presentation, a Public Health Specialist and Consultant to the NCS, Dr. Uzoma Ugochukwu stressed the importance of adequate public awareness on the ongoing HPV vaccination.


He said that the vaccine has the potential to bring an end to health challenge posed cervical cancer in the country if every female child within the age bracket of 9 and 14 were to be vaccinated with the HPV vaccine.

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