…DG receives 2024 achievements, plans for 2025 from head of departments, units
By Our Reporter
The Nigeria Cancer Society (NCS)- the umbrella body of all advocacy groups in the cancer space in Nigeria, has vowed to work closely with the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) to enable it achieve its objectives.
The newly elected president of the NCS, Prof. Abidemi Omonisi, stated this when he led a delegation to pay a courtesy visit to the Director General of NICRAT, Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu, in Abuja, yesterday.
Prof. Omonisi commended the NICRAT Director General for working hard to improve cancer research, prevention and treatment in Nigeria
He assured that NCS under his leadership will support and collaborate with NICRAT to ensure that it achieved it set goals of improving cancer awareness, prevention and care in Nigeria.
While applauding the NICRAT DG for the current effort in addressing and tackling all forms of cancers in the country, Prof. Omonisi said that within a period of less than two years of the establishment of the Institute, Nigeria has seen remarkable progress in the fight against cancer.
He disclosed that his team has developed a 2-year Agenda for the NCS, which they will share with the NICRAT DG at a later date.
Earlier, the immediate past President of the NCS, Dr. Adamu Alhassan disclosed that the visit was to formally introduce the newly elected President to the NICRAT Director General, who, according to him, was a former NEC member of the NCS.
Dr. Alhassan commended the NICRAT boss for the support he enjoyed during his tenure as President of the NCS and appealed to him to “sustain and amplify the support and cooperation to the newly elected President.”
He noted that NICRAT is a strategic partner of the NCS because, according to him, NICRAT is the government arm responsible for carrying out activities that will improve cancer care in Nigeria.
Responding, the Director General of NICRAT, Prof. Malami commended the former President of the NCS and his team for the good work they did during their tenure which led to the revival and restoration of the glory of the NCS.
Prof. Malami assured that he will continue to support the NCS under the leadership of Prof. Omonisi, whom he said, is capable and well prepared for the position.
He further vowed that NICRAT will collaborate and carry along NCS and other critical stakeholders in all it’s programs and activities in an efforts to achieve it’s five-year strategic plan.
In a related development, the NICRAT Director General has charged the heads of departments and units of the Institute to strengthen internal collaboration in order to achieve the set goals of the Institute in 2025.
He gave the charge while receiving briefs from heads of departments and units on the achievements recorded in 2024 and their plans for year 2025.
Prof. Malami insisted that the plans for the year 2025 for each department must align with the general objective of the Federal Ministry of Health under the leadership of Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate and Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziak Adekunle Salako, which by extension will align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of improving the health and general well-being of Nigerians.
The Director General noted that he is expecting each department and unit to work hard to ensure that their 2025 achievements exceed the ones recorded in 2024.
During their presentations, each head of department used the opportunity to showcase the achievements it recorded in 2024 and also their plans for this year.
The departments that presented their plans in the first phase include Administration, Clinical Services, Prevention and Control, Research and Innovation, National Cancer Health Fund and Department of Finance and Account.
Other departments will present their briefs next week.
