Reps seek reversal of $100m spent yearly on cancer treatment abroad

Members of the House of Representatives during Wednesday plenary expressed support for the bill seeking to establish National Cancer Institute for prevention, treatment and control of cancer in the country.

Following the overwhelming support enjoyed by the bill, which scaled through second reading, Speaker Yakubu Dogara subsequently referred the bill to the joint Committee on Health Institutions and Health Care Services for further legislative action.
In his lead debate, Sunday Karimi explained that Nigerians spend about $100 million in the treatment of cancer abroad, saying the institute when operational, would serve as the country’s principal agency for the research on cancer related matters.

The institute will play advisory role to the Ministry of Health on best practices in the management of cancer in Nigeria, he said.
According to Karimi, the purpose of this bill is to minimise the rate of deaths caused by cancer in the country, and blamed the increasing deaths caused by cancer on ignorance.

On his part, Muhammed Usman, who expressed concern over the scourge of the deadly disease on Nigerians, noted that one cancer treatment machine in the country was grossly inadequate.

“Nigeria has seven cancer centres and only one machine is working. With the population of 170 million people in Nigeria, 840 machines are needed for cancer treatment.

“There is need to establish cancer centres in all the states in the country and properly regulate them. These centres should also be equipped with infrastructure and adequate manpower,” Usman said.