The Federal Government through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in partnership with the NNPCL Foundation has provided free cancer screening for over 1000 Nigerians.
The three cancers that were screened include cervical, prostate and breast.
The screening which was done between Wednesday and Thursday at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, attracted Nigerians from all works of life.
This is part of the activities marking the 2024 World Cancer Day.
Speaking while declaring the free cancer screening open, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, advised Nigerians to regularly go for cancer screening so as to nip the disease in the bud.
Represented by the Director, Hospital Services, Dr Salaudeen Jimoh, the Minister said: “This is because when cancers are detected early treatment outcomes are better.
“Also, those who will be found positive to any of the cancers that will be screened for, the Cancer Health Fund (CHF) will provide free treatment for them, therefore there is no need to panic.”
He, however, applauded the NNPCL Foundation for partnering with the Federal Government to sponsor the cancer screening.
On her part, the Managing Director, NNPCL Foundation, Mrs Emmanuella Arukwe, insisted that knowing ones cancer status is very key to peaceful life, as according to her, “cancer is a very deadly disease”.
She said that the foundation which was the social initiative arm of the company, decided to embark on the project because cancer is one of the scourges the nation is suffering from.
She explained that: “It is our pilot project and we will do other things.
“A lot of people have already done their tests and we are expecting at least 100 people to do the tests and the good thing is that the ministry has the fund to treat anyone who tests positive to any of the cancers.
“We know there is a healthcare gap in Nigeria and we are doing this as one of our projects to help bridge the gap.”
Speaking earlier, the Director General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu, commended the NNPCL Foundation for the partnership with the federal government to provide free cancer screening to Nigerians.
Represented by the Director, Cancer Surveillance and Monitoring of the Institute, Prof. Sani A. Malami, noted that NICRAT is committed to partnering with all stakeholders including the private sector to halt the spread of cancer in the country.
While lamenting that cancer remains one of the major killer-disease in the country, he explained that the disease is responsible for more deaths than HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria combined together.
He disclosed that NICRAT recently launched three policy documents. These, according to him, include the National Cancer Control Plan (2024-2027), National Cervical Cancer Strategic Plan of action (2023-2027) as well as the National Research Agenda.
These documents, he explained, are all “targeted at achieving our goal of eradicating cancer so that cancer will no longer be a death sentence in Nigeria.”
