Bridging the Gap: Nigeria’s Fight Against Cancer with 250 Radiotherapy Machines

Renowned oncologist and Director of Clinical Trials at the University of Nigeria, Nsuka, Prof. Ifeoma Okoye, has highlighted the need for a total of 250 radiotherapy machines to effectively tackle cancer in Nigeria.

This comes as the Director General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu, announced plans to collaborate with the private sector to augment the 2024 budgetary allocation for cancer treatment and care.

In 2024, the government allocated N200 million to cancer treatment and care under the Cancer Health Fund.

This fund is intended to be accessed by citizens diagnosed with cancer, addressing the growing concern over cancer cases and deaths in the country.

According to the Global Cancer Observatory, Nigeria recorded 127,763 new cancer cases and 79,542 deaths in 2022. Breast cancer led with 32,278 cases (25.3%), followed by prostate cancer with 18,019 cases (14.1%), cervical cancer with 13,676 (10.7%), colorectum cancer with 8,114 (6.4%), Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma cancer with 5,194 (4.1%), and others with 50,482 (39.5%).

Prof. Okoye applauded the federal government for establishing six cancer centers across the six geo-political zones in the country, emphasizing the significance of these developments in Nigeria’s concerted efforts to eradicate cancer.

She stated, “The Nigerian government is making significant efforts to put in more cancer centers.

The federal government has signed a document to have state-of-the-art facilities in cancer management in the six geopolitical zones of the country.

However, if you add it all up, even if it makes it up to 20, it is still insufficient.

We have a 250 million population, and the recommendation is that one radiotherapy machine is needed for one million population.

This means that we need 250 radiotherapy machines to be able to meet up and close the gap in the treatment of cancer in Nigeria.”

Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu highlighted the importance of establishing a National Cancer Registry as a critical element in cancer prevention, treatment, and care.

He emphasized that the significant investments made by the government in combating cancer indicate a determination to stop medical tourism and elevate Nigeria among the best countries in cancer prevention, treatment, and care.

NICRAT has prioritized the installation of modern radiotherapy machines in the newly established cancer centers, as well as establishing a national cancer registry.

The agency is collaborating with the International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH) to enhance treatment capabilities, allocate resources for data collection, and address the costs associated with closing identified gaps.

In addition to these efforts, Prof. Aliyu mentioned plans to establish six preventive Oncology centers across the geo-political zones.

This initiative aims to provide avenues for people to access screening facilities and catch cancer early when the presentation is not late.

To bolster national planning efforts, NICRAT is also collaborating with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to train frontline health workers at primary health centers nationwide in basic cancer screening techniques.

The collaboration between NICRAT and the private sector, as well as the government’s commitment to investing in cancer treatment and care, marks a significant step forward in Nigeria’s fight against cancer.

With the installation of 250 radiotherapy machines and the establishment of preventive Oncology centers, Nigeria is well on its way to bridging the gap in cancer treatment and care.