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The Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS) has called on the National Assembly and the Federal Government to appropriate additional funds to close a ₦97.2 billion funding gap in the National Oncology Initiative.

It also called on the National Assembly to appropriate ₦25 billion for the transition of the National Cancer Health Fund to a Catastrophic Health Insurance Fund.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Prof. Abidemi Emmanuel Omonisi, while briefing the media on the commemoration of the 2025 World Cancer Day, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to immediately intervene by deploying measures to stop the growing migration of Nigerian medical practitioners outside the country.

Omonisi also expressed concerns, stating that Nigeria is already undergoing a catastrophic Human Resource for Health (HRH) crisis due to the current rate of migration of health workers overseas.

He said, “We observe that the current brain drain is attributed, but not limited, to poor remuneration, poor infrastructure, insecurity, low standard of living, and inadequate funding for the healthcare system. This has led to the migration of radiation and clinical oncologists, pathologists, oncology nursing, and other categories of health workers.

“The ideal ratio of a radiation and clinical oncologist to cancer patients is 1:250–500, but the ratio of radiation and clinical oncologists to cancer patients in Nigeria is presently 1:1,800 according to the current statistics from the Association of Radiation and Clinical Oncologists of Nigeria (ARCON), which is a corporate member of the Nigerian Cancer Society.

“This has accounted for the increasing long queues observed in all our oncology clinics in the country.

“I wish to specially appeal to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Government of Nigeria to address the ‘push and pull’ factors responsible for the exodus of skilled health workers from the country,” he said.

Cancer no longer death sentence, access to treatment major obstacle — NCS

According to him, “The NCS regrettably notes that cancer treatment is very expensive and beyond the capability of most patients in Nigeria, who largely rely on out-of-pocket expenses for the treatment.”

The group encouraged Nigerians to take enrolment into the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) more seriously, “as reliance on out-of-pocket funding by most patients is frustrating.”

“Although we are very grateful to the Federal Government of Nigeria, and we sincerely appreciate the role played by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in establishing the National Cancer Health Fund (NCHF),” it said.

NCS said the provision in the proposed 2025 national budget for the Cancer Health Fund will cover no more than 22 patients in the entire country.

“We are seriously pleading for the sake of indigent cancer patients in Nigeria, who constitute more than seventy per cent of people living with cancer in Nigeria, that more funds should be allocated to the NCHF in the 2025 budget,” Prof. Omonisi said.

Omonisi also solicited donations from well-meaning Nigerians, banks, the organised private sector, philanthropists, government agencies, and multinational organisations to support the various activities of the Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS).

“The Nigerian Cancer Society is a non-profit organisation that is dependent on payment of dues from its members and donations.

“Our society, since its establishment on 12th October 1968 (over 56 years in existence), has been actively involved in assisting both Federal and State Governments in the formation of policies on cancer prevention and control.

“Our society has been actively involved in cancer awareness and screening all over the country, but yet, it is very shameful that the Nigerian Cancer Society has no place anywhere in Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory, where we can point to as our National Secretariat.

“We are currently being accommodated by the African Health Budget Network. We also have no operating vehicles. We will appreciate the interventions of well-meaning Nigerians, the organised private sector, multinational organisations, and state and federal government agencies in helping to address these needs,” he begged.

Prof. Omonisi commended the Federal Ministry of Health for directing all cancer centres and all health institutions where cancer patients are managed to have a Multi-disciplinary Team (MDT).

“The NCS implores the Federal Ministry of Health to follow up on its earlier directive on MDT and ensure total compliance,” he said.

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