Reps directs FG to subsidise cancer care, make screening free

The Federal House of Representatives has raised concerns over the high cost of cancer treatment in Nigeria, which they note has become a burden on both the poor and the rich.

In response, the House mandated its Committee on healthcare services to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and other relevant agencies to establish a mechanism for the Federal Government to provide subsidies for cancer treatment and related drugs to ameliorate the suffering of patients.

The Federal House of Representatives also asked the Government to make screenings free, as a way of ensuring early detection.

Read also: Advancing cancer treatment: The critical role of computational chemistry in targeting epidermal growth factor receptors

This was a sequel to a motion sponsored by Aderemi Oseni, member representing the Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in Oyo State during plenary on Wednesday.

The House noted that cancer is a major public health challenge in Nigeria, with many patients unable to afford treatment due to the high cost.

The lower chamber also noted that the scourge of cancer is fast spreading among Nigerians, with reports revealing that in 2020, about 125,000 people were diagnosed with cancer

The House expressed concern that patients with cancer in Nigeria are facing financial difficulties due to the complex and expensive supply chain for cancer drugs and limited availability of radiation therapy machines, leaving some with the view that cancer is an illness for the wealthy or a death sentence.

“But that is no longer the case, as both the poor and the rich in most cases are caught by the menace”, the House stated.

Read also: Blood donation reduces cancer, heart attack – Haematologist

The House, further worried that the costs of cancer treatment vary from tens of millions of naira (or thousands of dollars) to hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, depending on the type of cancer, stage of the disease, treatment methods, location, and individual health history.

Consequently, the sponsor of the Bill noted the urgent need for Government intervention to subsidise cancer treatment and drugs for indigent patients in Nigeria.

It therefore mandated its Committees on healthcare services and legislative compliance to ensure compliance with its resolution and report within four weeks for further legislative action.