The Federal Government has launched an initiative to improve breast cancer survival rates in Nigeria, providing financial support to patients through the Cancer Health Fund.
Professor Jesse Otegbayo, Chief Medical Director of University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, announced that individuals diagnosed with breast, prostate, and cervical cancers can access up to one million Naira to commence treatment at UCH and five other hospitals across Nigeria.
Otegbayo emphasised that early detection and treatment are vital in reducing the 2.3 million annual breast cancer deaths worldwide. “Breast cancer is a leading cause of death globally, with over 700,000 new cases recorded annually,” he said.
The CMD, who spoke at the hospital following a cancer awareness walk, “Go Pink Day” and market outreach to commemorate the 2024 Cancer Awareness Month, said breast cancer is a leading cause of death all over the world, and every year, over 700,000 new cases are recorded.
He declared that the 2024 Breast Cancer Awareness Month is different because all federal institutions are to decorate their hospitals in pink to generate this awareness and carry out several activities to sensitise people and generate awareness on breast cancer.
“It is to let people know that we have facilities that can detect breast cancer early. When it is detected early as a lump, either benign or not, Surgically, it can be removed. And even when it has gone a stage up, we can remove the whole breast.
“But a lot of people are dying of it. Many people hide the disease until it has festered to a stage where early palliative care is given. And that is why it has become important that we disseminate information regarding breast cancer.
“Now we have what is called the Cancer Health Fund, which gives every patient with cancer of the breast, prostate, and cervix a million naira to start with their treatment. UCH is one of the six hospitals where this facility is available. Unfortunately, many people are not aware.
“Even recently, that amount has been increased. You can get add-ons for this one million if the physicians or surgeons that are managing say that you need such an amount.”
The team- leader for the Cancer Health Fund at the hospital and Provost College of Medicine, Professor Temidayo Ogundiran, said cancer treatment, whether breast or wherever in the body, is quite costly and capital intensive. And a lot of our patients have issues with funding their treatment.
Professor Ogundiran declared that the fund is one of the reasons why people delay coming for cancer treatment, and the cancer health fund they will receive will go a long way in elevating their sufferings and also impacting their survival.
“A million naira is a lot of money. It may not take care of all the treatment and all that they will need, but it’s a lot of money for them at least to take care of some of the basic things, including part of the treatment.
“And if this money is given to them at the right time, especially for those Whoever come early, One million naira can make it possible for some of them to be cured of their disease if they access treatment on time.”