This year’s World Cancer Day on Saturday, February 4, reminds us once again of the rising scourge of the disease, a health disorder that years back many Nigerians perceived to be a kind of “rich man” disease to which the poor was naturally immune.
However, the case of cancer in our environment has proved that the ailment is not race or status bound.
A World Health Organisation (WHO) study shows that 30 percent of cancer deaths are caused by five leading behavioural and dietary risks: being overweight, not eating enough fruits and vegetables, little or no exercise, tobacco use, and alcohol use. Of these, tobacco use has the highest risk of causing cancer, causing about 20 percent of global cancer deaths and around 70 percent of global lung cancer deaths.
In a recent report, Nigeria is said to have contributed the most to cancer prevalence numbers in Africa, with 102,000 reported new cases in 2012. The report also shows that over 10 percent of Nigerians are at the risk of getting cancer before they get to age 75.
Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP- Nigeria) report notes that 30 Nigerian women die every day of breast cancer while one Nigerian woman dies every hour of cervical cancer.
The Pan-African Medical Journal research article points out that prostate cancer (CaP) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Nigerian men, but screening is not a common practice.
Investigation shows that Nigeria has seven radiotherapy machines, five are faulty, and the country has 50 radiotherapists and oncologists for over 180 million Nigerians.
Remi Ajekigbe, head of Radiotherapy and Oncology Department of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), told BusinessDay recently in an exclusive interview that the numbers of patients that had been treated were much and those still receiving treatment were uncountable, because more people were still having cancer “that is why we called it an epidemic.”
“We should also educate the masses on early detection of cancer; early detection needs a cure. Late cancer presentation is disastrous.”
Ajekigbe noted further: “Our doctors here are also well trained. It is just that we do not have enough equipment or facilities, but most of our doctors are trained here and also go abroad for more training.
“We are appealing to the government to embrace Private Public Partnership, which will contribute more to the health sector.”
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