Nigeria wakes up to cancer scourge, plans research, treatment institute

Nigeria is obviously waking up to the huge challenge posed by cancer as the National Assembly has enacted an Act to establish an institute for its research and treatment.
The Institute when operational, according to Section 2 of the bill, is to provide national leadership in cancer research, control and treatment; guide scientific improvements to cancer prevention, treatment and care; coordinate and liaise with the wide range of groups and healthcare providers with interest in cancer as well as make recommendations to the government about cancer policy and priorities.
In Nigeria, 10,000 related deaths are recorded annually while about 250,000 new cases are recorded yearly, of which breast and cervical cancers are the commonest, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report that categorised Nigeria as having the highest cancer death rates in Africa.
Nigerians spend estimated sum of $1 billion yearly on medical tourism due to lack of adequate healthcare facilities across the country of over 170 million population.
The Act, which is ready for the President’s accent, has established a National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, having been passed and harmonised by both the Senate and House of Representatives.
Out of the 22 Federal Medical Centres (FMCs) owned by Federal Government located in capital cities, they have only seven functional radiotherapy machines and five Linear Accelerator (UNAC) in the following health institutions: Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH); University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu; University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH); Usman Dan Fodio Hospital, Sokoto, and National Hospital, Abuja.
In its intervention, the House of Representatives had in March 2016, passed a resolution urging Federal Government to take steps towards encouraging all state governments to procure radiography machines and train their personnel on the use of the facility.
The institute, which is to be headed by an oncologist with 10 years research experience and preferably a professor with administrative experience as director, to be appointed by the President on the recommendations of the minister of health, is also saddled with the responsibility of overseeing a dedicated budget for research into cancer; assist with implementation of government’s policies and cancer control as well as provide financial assistance, out of money appropriated by the National Assembly for research and treatment, as stipulated in Section 2 of the clean copy of the bill seen by BusinessDay.
Section 3 of the bill, which provides for the establishment of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment Board, shall be headed by a chairman and members including: representative of minister of health, Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.
Others are: eight persons with relevant qualifications and experience who shall represent Radiologists, Medical Laboratory Scientists, Physiotherapists, Nigerian Cancer Society, Civil Society Organisations, a Cancer Survivor living free of cancer for a minimum of five years, national Complementary and Alternative Medical Association (NACAMA), National Association of Traditional Medical Practitioners (NANTMP) and an Association or group of cancer Survivors.
Section 6 of the bill also empowers the Board to: erect, provide, equip and maintain research centre, training schools with state of the art facilities as are necessarily suitable for or required for any of the objects of the Institute; encourage and provide for research at the Institute; accept gifts, legacies and donations which are consistent with the objects of the Institute; enter into contract as well as acquire and hold movable and immovable property.
The Board is also expected to create a central online database for statistical analysis to create access by both public and private individuals with a view to attracting donor agencies; establish a department of telemedicine for collaboration with peers both within and outside Nigeria.
The Board is also empowered to establish a cancer prevention protocol according to age and family history of every Nigerian with a view to carrying out a public awareness campaigns for screening right from the primary health centre to the secondary and tertiary hospitals with the ultimate referral centre for everything cancer being the Institute, is aimed at eradicating medical tourism by the theme: ‘Operation know your health centre and referral point.’
According to Section 10 of the bill, the Board is empowered to establish Public Private Partnership (PPP) wherever possible for providing clinical services using PPP model to defray costs and maximise efficiency; maintain a fund from which shall be defrayed with the general or specific approval of the minister in any case, all expenditure incurred by the Board.
Laurie Tauriainen, a Nurse with Sarah Cannon Research Institute Texas, USA, had in November 2016 conducted a one-week training for 34 nurses at the National Hospital, Abuja in the area of cancer healthcare provision.
The training in patient navigation was organised in collaboration with Project Pink Blue, a non-profit organisation led by Runcie Chidebe, a Nigerian alumnus of the US Department of state’s International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP).

KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja