The Federal Government announced its ambitious initiative to construct six new cancer treatment centers across the country during a World Cancer Day Symposium themed “Economy, Tax and Cancer Control: The Exit of Pharmaceutical Companies from Nigeria,” held in Abuja. 

This significant development was disclosed by the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who provided detailed insights into the project.

Dr. Alausa emphasized the strategic placement of these treatment facilities, stating, “The cancer treatment centers would be built in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu; Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaira; Federal Tertiary Hospital, Katsina; University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin; University of Jos Teaching Hospital, Jos; and Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos.”

He further elaborated on the government’s commitment to accessibility, affirming, “The treatment center was evenly allocated to the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria to enable improved and quick access to cancer response and treatment.”

The minister disclosed the allocated budget and the challenges posed by inflation, remarking, “We had to make a presentation to the President and the National Assembly to give us additional budgetary allocation to build the six cancer centers.” 

He added, “We have gotten the additional funding that we need. The groundbreaking will happen in the next few weeks.”

Addressing misconceptions surrounding the exit of pharmaceutical companies, Dr. Alausa clarified, “Let’s face the fact, Nigeria is endowed with an abundance of manpower.” He pointed to regulatory policies such as NAFDAC’s 5+5 policy as reasons for the companies’ departure.

In a related panel discussion, Dr. Yau Usman Idris, Director General of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, stressed the urgency of healthcare prioritization, stating, “It is not possible to treat over 200 million population with the kind of equipment available in the country.”

Runcie Chidebe, Executive Director of Project Pink Blue, echoed the call for increased funding and collaborative efforts, urging stakeholders to turn commitments into action. 

He emphasized the need for policies to reduce the cost of cancer treatment and urged stakeholders to back promises with tangible results.