Cancer treatment centre set to begin in Ondo

The Ondo State Government is set to establish a Cancer Treatment Centre in the state as parts of efforts to reduce number of death arising from the killer disease in the state.

Speaking at a maiden technical meeting of the Cancer Control Advisory Committee put in place for its establishment, wife of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Betty said starting the Cancer Treatment Centre was a dream come true.

As a survivor of cancer, Betty Akeredolu said she had dedicated her entire life to fighting cancer and so passionate about starting a treatment center that would be affordable and sustainable, saying the committee was set up to join the fight against cancer by establishing a treatment center that was a model, non-profit making but sustainable with government input and private participation to reduce incidences of morbidity and mortality associated with cancer.

The establishment of the center, according to her was a victory for the women of the state as they would no longer die needlessly due to cancer.

To get a better deal for the people of the state, she said there would be participation of the private sector, non-governmental organisations, International and local donor agencies.

Akeredolu, however, identified late presentation for cancer treatment as a major factor in the cog of the wheel of progress of successful treatment of cancer.

She asked for the resuscitation and strengthening of a Health Promotion Department to aggressively educate the public on what to know about their health using education materials and all available media.

While thanking committee members for the interest in the project, she charged them to be on the run and hit the ground running to ensure the project would become a reality in no distant time since there was the political will which had been demonstrated by the approval of two billion Naira take off grant in the 2018 budget.

Tasks were then shared to committee members and timelines given for which to deliver so that the first phase of the project can commence latest by the end of the year.

YOMI AYELESO, Akure