Nigeria Loses 10,000 People To Cancer – VP’s Wife

Mrs. Oludolapo Osinbajo, Wife of the Vice President, said the cost of losing 10,000 Nigerians to cancer was unimaginable.

Mrs. Osinbajo spoke when she commissioned a Radiotherapy Centre with a new multi-lever linear accelerator for cancer treatment at the National Hospital, Abuja.

"I look forward to the day, the cure for cancer is found. However, I am happy though the resources are limited, that we are making steps in the right direction. What l see here is not just a building, but hope. "One machine here and one more to go and all other things to perfect it, what l see is 'hope', my appeal is for us to love Nigeria and love Nigerians.

"I am very glad that you make me part of this day, because as you know, l also have been touched by the loved ones that l lost to cancer,” she said at the point of tears.

“What I see, by the rising of this building, patients that are helped, loved ones of patients that are happy, that they now have a facility that can be used to help their loved ones out of sickness.”

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health, said that the Cancer Centre, has a state-of-the-art equipment and facilities.

Prof. Adewole said in 2015 five million people died from cancer globally and "10,000 people died from cancer every year in Nigeria.

The minister said the Federal Government was committed to reducing cancer burdening in Nigeria.  

He further stated that people should be aware of the deadly disease and change their life style as many of the cancer cases can be avoided if only we eat and exercise well there will be no cancer.

Adewole said, "Only 40 per cent of cancer cases can be detected early. As the problem we have in Nigeria is that many of the cancer cases come too late, when they come early, we can detect them, as many of them have prolonged phase. For example, the cancer of cervix takes about 10 years to develop. So, in between the 10 years we can pick it and treat it hundred percent,” he said.

He added, "So awareness, life style modification, changing health seeking behaviour with early detection, we will only have to battle with about 10 to 20 percent of cancer."

Earlier, Dr. Jaf Momoh said, the Chief Medical Director (CMD), said the new LINAC was the first of its kind in Nigeria and staff of the relevant departments had been trained on its use.

He, however, explained "the equipment has passed the necessary quality requirements with Licence for its use from the relevant regulatory agencies like IAEA."

He commended the management and staff of the Departments of Oncology/Radiotherapy, medical physics, the directorate of maintenance and all members of the committee for the supervision and implementation of the completion of the cancer complex for their cooperation and hard work.

He said that more support would be needed to complete the entire complex and provide the necessary equipment and relevant manpower to run it as a centre of excellence for cancer care.