Drug shortages and a lack of access to quality treatment among cancer patients are worsening the disease figures in Nigeria, Hassey’s Haven Foundation has said.
Calling for urgent measures to raise awareness for early detection of cancer, it highlighted the overwhelming number of cancer patients compared to the reliable treatment options.
During its official launch in Kaduna on Saturday, February 24, Hassey’s Haven Foundation noted that many Nigerians diagnosed with cancer face challenges accessing adequate treatment due to drug scarcity.
Data released by the Foundation showed that cancer leads to over 72,000 deaths in Nigeria per annum, with males recording 30924 deaths, while females had reached 40 647 deaths.
According to the National Cancer Control, “there are 102,000 new cases of cancer every year with the estimated incidence for breast cancer at 27%, cervix uteri stands at 14%, liver at 12%, while prostate and colorectum are at 12% and 4.1% respectively.”
Founder of Hassy’s Haven Foundation, Husseina Mohammed Yakubu shared the personal tragedy of losing her twin sister, Miss Hassana to cancer, advocating for more cancer treatment options in the country, especially in the north-west region.
She said; “Findings have also shown that the majority of the cancer patients in the country cannot afford the available treatment within and outside the country, because most of the cancer relief drugs and chemotherapy are far beyond their reach.
“We are lending our voices to other Nigerians, while also calling on the federal and state government to declare a state of emergency on cancer in Nigeria. We saw the success recorded in HIV/AIDS when it was made a top priority some decades ago.
“Again, we are calling on the governors of northwestern states of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Zamfara, Jigawa, and Sokoto, to immediately come together and equip the secondary and tertiary hospitals in the zone with cancer treatment equipment to reduce the nightmare of travelling far distance for chemotherapy.”
