The Federal Government has announced intentions to build six centres to combat the cancer scourge that plagues the public.
The Federal Government is preparing to make the Cancer Health Fund (CHF) available, as stated by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire.
At the 2022 International Cancer Week’s opening ceremony on Tuesday in Abuja, Ehanire made this statement (ICW).
The focus of the conference was “Bridging the Cancer Care Gap: Improving Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Management.”
Hon. Joseph Ekumankama, Minister of State for Health, acted as Ehanire’s representative.
“We are currently taking steps to expand the CHF to additional six centres in order to improve access to the fund nationwide and to make it as close to the people as possible.
“We are also taking steps to make the fund available for more cancers especially in children instead of limiting it to the cancers of breast, cervix and prostate,” Ehanire said.
He added that six pilot hospitals were already providing care to more than 1,500 cancer patients who were in need.
Additionally, he mentioned that more than 400 cancer patients had begun receiving care through the CHF project.
The contributing fund, which was formed by the federal government to reduce the financial burden of cancer treatment for Nigerians who could not afford it, is housed at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
According to Ehanire, the Ministry of Health and its partners have enhanced access to cancer therapy through the Cancer Access Partnership (CAP) programme.
More than 2,000 patients have already signed up for care at 17 hospitals, and six more will be operational by the end of 2022, according to him.
Ehanire claimed that one of the main challenges to the treatment of cancer in Nigeria was the lack of pathology specialists, the capacity for immunohistochemistry, and other specialised tests.
According to him, the federal government is already working with several partners to build training programmes for healthcare professionals.
The National Cancer Control Plan (2018-2022), which came to a close in July, according to the minister, helped the federal government of Nigeria accomplish its objectives in the fight against cancer.
