Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Africa Links 24
Published on 2024-04-13 17:54:05
The Director-General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, Usman Aliyu, recently disclosed plans to establish a centralized standard national cancer registry and data plan in Nigeria. This initiative aims to make cancer a notifiable disease and enhance cancer prevention, treatment, and care systems in the country.
Aliyu highlighted that the absence of a national cancer registry was mainly due to inadequate funding from both government and private health facilities. This gap has hindered national planning efforts in combating the disease. To address this issue, the institute is collaborating with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to train frontline health workers at primary healthcare centers on basic cancer screening techniques. The goal is to promote early detection, facilitate appropriate referrals when needed, and establish a grassroots-level cancer registry.
Considering the escalating cases of cancer globally, particularly in Low-Middle-Income-Countries (LMICs) due to economic challenges, Aliyu emphasized the urgency of preventive measures. He pointed out data from the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) showing 127,763 new cancer cases and 79,542 deaths in Nigeria in 2022. The prevalent cancer types in the country include breast cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
The first step in cancer care is prevention, according to Aliyu. Educating the public on risk factors and behaviors associated with cancer is crucial to empowering individuals and reducing mortality rates. Lack of awareness and inadequate documentation have contributed to many deaths in Nigeria due to cancer.
Aliyu also discussed the implementation of the Cancer Health Fund (CHF) and the establishment of a cancer health committee to address various aspects of the fund. Stakeholder engagement sessions have been held to refine the concept, operational framework, and challenges of the CHF. Efforts are being made to improve accessibility, visibility, and transparency of the fund to benefit indigent patients.
In the current budget, the Federal Government allocated N200 million to the CHF, with plans to increase funding in the future. Additionally, considerations are being made to allocate funds specifically for childhood cancer cases.
The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment was established through the NICRAT establishment Act in 2017 to lead cancer research, treatment, and control efforts in Nigeria. The institute continues to work towards enhancing cancer care and reducing the burden of the disease in the country.
Overall, the proactive measures and collaborations spearheaded by the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment aim to improve cancer management, raise awareness, and ultimately save lives in Nigeria.
Read the original article on DailyNigerian.com
