World Cancer Day: Decentralize cancer control, FG, states urged

Stakeholders advocating against cancer in the country have called on the federal and state governments to decentralize cancer control.

They made the call Saturday in Abuja during a walk organised by Project Pink Blue, a cancer advocacy organization to commemorate this year’s World Cancer Day.

The stakeholders said doing so would help tackle the burden of the disease in the country.

The convener of the walk and executive director, Project Pink Blue, Runcie Chidebe said: “We are leaving cancer control only in the hands of the federal government. The state governments also need to take action and protect their people. There is need to replicate the National Institute for Cancer research and treatment (NICRAT) at state level”.

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He said late presentation for cancer care is a major concern in Nigeria, adding that the country’s health system needs to be fixed in a way to help support patients to present early for cancer diagnosis and care.

Chidebe said while government has done a lot on HPV vaccination and other areas, the gap still exist that need to be addressed.

He said there is no government owned radiotherapy machine currently working in the whole of South-South geopolitical zone, stressing that the only one working is privately owned.

He added that there was need to increase treatment facilities in other to close the cancer care gap.

The executive director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA)  Dr Muyi Aina , enjoined Nigerians to  avail themselves of vaccinations that help prevent cancers such as the  Hepatitis B  and Human Papilomavirus vaccines (HPV) that prevent hepatitis, liver cancer, and cervical cancer respectively.

He said the HPV vaccine is available free of charge for girls between 9 and 14 years in 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) and will be available for the rest states in May.