The Federal Government has committed N50 million to a newly launched Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) Fund for Cancer Patients, aimed at easing the non-medical financial burdens that often prevent patients from accessing or completing treatment in Nigeria.
The initiative was unveiled in Abuja on Wednesday by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, who said the intervention is designed to provide targeted support for cancer patients struggling with costs such as transportation, accommodation, feeding, and other social barriers associated with care.
Salako explained that while government investments have continued in cancer awareness, infrastructure and treatment subsidies, many patients still abandon or delay care due to these hidden costs, which disproportionately affect low-income and vulnerable Nigerians.
He noted that the initiative is a key outcome of recommendations by the Technical Working Group on Nigeria’s National Cancer Control Plan 2026–2030, chaired by Folakemi Odedina and co-chaired by Malami Aliyu, which identified social and economic barriers as major drivers of poor treatment outcomes.
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According to him, the SDoH Fund will complement existing interventions such as the Cancer Health Fund, Cancer Access Partnership, and other government support schemes, while also expanding the Ministry’s focus beyond clinical care to broader social welfare needs affecting health outcomes.
He disclosed that over 600 patients have applied for assistance under the scheme, with more than 200 already verified through a process involving medical directors and attending physicians. Each verified patient, he said, will receive at least N100,000 to help offset non-medical treatment costs, with disbursements made directly.
Salako added that the fund is expected to attract additional contributions from corporate organisations, philanthropists and other private sector actors to strengthen its reach and sustainability.
He urged strict transparency and accountability in the management of the fund, stressing that due diligence will be critical to ensuring that resources reach intended beneficiaries.
Reassuring Nigerians living with cancer, Salako said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to reducing the country’s cancer burden through expanded screening programmes, improved treatment infrastructure, and subsidies for chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
He said the government’s broader goal is to ensure that a cancer diagnosis does not become a death sentence, while also working toward a 50 per cent reduction in Nigeria’s cancer burden by 2030.
The minister formally flagged off the implementation of the SDoH Fund, describing it as a critical step in strengthening financial protection for cancer patients across the country.
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