From Cyriacus Nnaji, Lagos
AstraZeneca, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), has announced a significant milestone in the fight against cancer in Nigeria.
According to a release, through the Cancer Care Africa (CCA) initiative, AstraZeneca is partnering with NICRAT to provide every patient with an equal chance for cure through early detection, screening, and diagnostics.
The release stated that the initiative is about the present and building a sustainable future for cancer care in Nigeria.
The initiative, delivered under the umbrella of Accelerating Change Together for Cancer Care, is a coalition of technology, policy, research pioneers, and NICRAT seeking to improve the patient cancer journey experience.
It also stated that this collaboration focuses on impactful initiatives across four main pillars including Enhanced Screening and Diagnostics: “AstraZeneca will establish partnerships with Abuja National Hospital, NSIA-LUTH, and the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu in setting linkages for access to molecular testing within Nigeria.
The initiative will also explore screening support for patients across breast cancer, lung cancer, and prostate cancer.”
It also include Capacity and Capability Building. By this AstraZeneca, collaborating with the Guandong Academy of Medical Sciences, will provide Nigeria-China cross border capacity building for multidisciplinary teams from chosen centres of excellence. Additionally, the initiative will enhance pathology expertise through pathologist training across Nigeria and provide oncology training for Healthcare Professionals (HCPs).
The third is Patient Empowerment: “AstraZeneca is deeply committed to working with patient association groups to reach the right communities, focusing on education and awareness.”
The fourth is talking about Access to Medicines. It stated that AstraZeneca is unwavering in its commitment to expanding access to innovative treatment and establishing patient support/affordability programs to enable enhanced access for Nigerian patients. “This commitment is a testament to our dedication to improving cancer care in Nigeria.”
Deepak Arora, Country President African Cluster at AstraZeneca, highlighted the programme’s potential: “At AstraZeneca, we are committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders, including governments, healthcare professionals, and patient communities, to build resilient healthcare systems and improve access to innovative cancer treatments for patients throughout Africa. This marks a significant milestone in this journey, and we are confident that it will positively impact the lives of many, bringing science to life. This commitment underscores our dedication to empowering patients in their fight against cancer.”
On his part, the Director General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu, applauded AstraZeneca for the initiative, describing it as brilliant and timely.
“NICRAT which is the leading government agency with the mandate to provide national leadership in cancer research, improve cancer treatment, prevention and care in Nigeria is committed to supporting this initiative to the later.
“With the formal launch of this initiative today by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, NICRAT believes strongly that it will boost our effort towards achieving improved cancer screening and diagnosis, expand access to innovative treatment and also contribute immensely in building the capacity of all categories of experts in the cancer space in Nigeria,” says Prof. Malami, the Director General of NICRAT.
Cancer Care Africa is AstraZeneca’s response to the growing cancer burden on the African continent, and the company aims to successfully collaborate and partner with government entities, NGOs, medical societies, and patient advocacy groups to address the urgent need for action.
About AstraZeneca: AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines. Our purpose is to push the boundaries of science to deliver life-changing medicines. The company is committed to improving patient outcomes, and its presence in Africa underscores its dedication to addressing the unmet medical needs of patients across the continent.
About Cancer Care Africa (CCA): CCA is part of Accelerating Change Together (ACT) for Cancer Care, a global, AstraZeneca-led effort to revolutionise the way cancer is diagnosed and treated to drive equitable improvement in patient outcomes and greater resilience in healthcare systems. ACT was launched at EXPO2020 in Dubai alongside key collaborators in the global oncology community. The initiative will support new and existing coalitions around a shared vision for the future of cancer care, focusing on accelerating national and regional-level public policy transformation. CCA represents our commitment to strengthening healthcare systems across Africa in partnership with local cancer care experts as part of the ACT network.
