Amidst growing concerns over high death rates due to cancer in Nigeria, First Lady, Aisha Buhari has identified the lack of awareness as a major factor for the high rate of mortality from cancer in Nigeria.
She made the statement while receiving members of the Nigerian Cancer Society, at the State House.
The disease is said to be the leading cause of 70 000 deaths per annum, with 28 414 for male and 41 913 for female,
The Nigerian First Lady, while calling on stakeholders to strengthen awareness campaigns on cancer, revealed that, it was why the Future Assured Programme has remained active in creating awareness, holding screening sessions, and making referrals where necessary.
She noted that the Future Assured team will use the World Cancer Day, which will soon hold on the 4th February 2022, to provide a veritable platform to accelerate the fight against cancer.
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She called on stakeholders to collaborate and intensify efforts in ensuring the proper implementation of the National Cancer Control Plan to reduce the death rate in Nigeria.
Earlier, the President of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Adamu Umar reported that cancers have emerged as a leading health problem in Nigeria, lamenting the challenges to effective cancer control as daunting, but promising. He called on the First Lady to lend her weight to cancer control and assume personal leadership of the national cancer control war.
Leader of the coalition of cancer survivors, the Network of People Impacted by Cancer in Nigeria (NEPICIN), Gloria Orji, a Cancer survivor noted that cancer patients are stigmatized and yearn for better and affordable cancer care.
She disclosed that her organization is willing to support any cause that will better a lot of cancer patients in Nigeria.
