By Hassan Zaggi
Challenges experienced around cancer care and research in Nigeria will soon be a thing of the past, the Director General, National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu, has assured.
He gave the assurance in a statement to congratulate Nigerians, especially, Muslim Ummah on the successful completion of Ramadan leading to Eid-El-Fitr celebration.
He, therefore, called on Nigerians to take their health seriously and go for regular checkup in health facilities nearest to them so as to pick any illness, especially, cancer in its early stage.
Prof. Malami particularly, felicitated with cancer patients, their relatives, doctors working in the cancer space, health advocates and Non Governmental Organisations (NGO) and wished them many more returns of such a blessed season.
“I am, however, assuring all Nigerians of the preparedness of NICRAT to improve cancer research and treatment in the days ahead.
“I am, therefore, using this opportunity to call on all Nigerians to take their health seriously and go for regular checks so as to nip in the bud any disease, especially, cancer before it reaches an uncontrollable stage.
“I am also assuring that, as NICRAT begins work in earnest, challenges around cancer care and research will witness a dramatic improvement,” Prof. Malami further said.
He, however, insisted that “cancer is treatable and curable especially, when detected early.
“I, therefore, urge Nigerians to visit any nearby health facility for checks when they have any abnormal feelings in their bodies.
“I, therefore, urged Muslim Ummah to imbibe the lessons learnt during the Ramadan period and continue to remain supportive to all cancer patients and their relatives.
“This is necessary because cancer treatment/management is capital intensive.”
