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By Tracy Moses
The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to provide free cancer screening and subsidized treatment for Nigerians battling the disease in all its stages.
The motion was adopted on Wednesday, 7th May, following a presentation by Mr. Aderemi Oseni, the representative for Ibarapa Central/Ido Federal Constituency in Oyo State, during the plenary session.
Oseni, a member of the All Progressives Congress, stressed that cancer has become a major public health issue in Nigeria, with many individuals unable to afford the high cost of treatment.
He remarked, “Cancer has reached alarming proportions in Nigeria, with about 125,000 new diagnoses recorded in 2020 alone. The most prevalent types include breast, prostate, and cervical cancer.”
The lawmaker went on to highlight that cancer treatments can cost anywhere from several million naira (or thousands of dollars) to hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, depending on factors such as cancer type, stage, treatment options, geographical location, and individual patient health conditions.
Oseni also pointed out the challenges faced by cancer patients in Nigeria due to the expensive and complicated supply chain for medications and the shortage of radiation therapy equipment. These issues have contributed to the perception that cancer treatment is something only the wealthy can afford, leading to a bleak prognosis for many.
He emphasized that cancer affects both the wealthy and the poor, and with the increasing number of cases, the financial burden for treating the disease has outstripped available resources, leaving a gap in funding for cancer care services. According to him, public funding is the most viable and long-term solution to alleviate the struggles of cancer patients.
In response, the House of Representatives resolved to instruct its Committee on Healthcare Services to work with the Federal Ministry of Health and relevant agencies to establish a framework for subsidizing cancer treatment and medications. The motion also called for the creation of additional cancer treatment centers and the procurement of more radiotherapy machines.
Additionally, the House advocated for free and widespread cancer screening to be made available to all Nigerians, particularly for early detection of the disease.