Following the rising cases of cancer patients in Nigeria, a Foundation has disclosed that drug shortages are affecting cancer treatments in Nigeria.
This was just as it called for an aggressive awareness campaign for early detection of the deadly disease.
It also said that the number of Nigerians who are down with cancer is far more than the available treatment in the country.
The foundation made the disclosure during the official launch of Hassy’s Haven Foundation in memory of a journalist, the Late Hassana Muhammad Yakubu, a staff of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who died of cancer recently on Sunday.
The founder of the foundation, the twin sister of the deceased, Hussaina Mohammed Yakubu, advocated for more cancer treatment equipment in the country, especially in the northwest.
While speaking during the launch, she explained that her late twin sister died of cancer after demonstrating uncommon resilience for a few years after proper diagnosis was carried out.
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On the reason for the establishment of the foundation, she said: ” the aim is to alert the public and create awareness about the deadly disease, its prevention and available support services, among others.
“Findings have also shown that the majority of the cancer patients in the country cannot afford the available treatment within and outside the country, because most of the cancer relief drugs and chemotherapy are far beyond their reach.
“We are lending our voices to other Nigerians, while also calling on the federal and state government to declare a state of emergency on cancer in Nigeria. We saw the success recorded in HIV/AIDS when it was made a top priority some decades ago.
“Again, we are calling on the governors of northwestern states of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Zamfara, Jigawa and Sokoto, to immediately come together and equip the secondary and tertiary hospitals in the zone with cancer treatment equipment to reduce the nightmare of travelling far distance for chemotherapy.”
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE