2022 World Cancer Day: Health Experts in Plateau State Calls for Special Funding for Cancer Patients, Says Disease not a Death Sentence

As the World observe Cancer Day globally, Health Experts in Plateau State have urged government at all levels, policy makers and well spirited individuals to create special funding for cancer patients on account of the expensive nature of cancer care which most people especially in developing Countries cannot afford.

4th February is a day set aside to raise global awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.
It is an initiative aimed at uniting the World to fight against the global cancer epidemic.

Plateau State was not an exception in the observance of the day as Health Professionals from the Oncology Units of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Bingham University Teaching Hospital and the Esther Tyoden Foundation all in Plateau State organized a cancer sensitization walk which started from the Secretariat Roundabout to Old Airport Roundabout and back to the start point distributing handbills and educating the public on the causes of cancer, how to prevent themselves against the disease as well as its treatment.

This Year’s theme “closing the care gap” according to health Professional is vital considering the huge disparity and inequality in the distribution of cancer care. Cancer care is better attended to in developed Countries than their developing counterparts which is a huge challenge according to Health experts.

Speaking on the essence of the sensitization Campaign, Dr. Maurice Nandul Nimark, a Consultant Clinical Oncologist and Head of Oncology Unit Jos University Teaching Hospital hinted that cancer is a disease that is ravaging the World with about 10 million people die of cancer disease with 19.3 million new cancer cases in 2020 and about 25 million people living with the disease.
He said with the burden of cancer increasing in Nigeria and developing Countries, it becomes pertinent to increase public sensitization on the dreaded disease.

“It is estimated that by 2030, the burden of cancer will be more in the developing Countries than the developed Nations”
In terms of cancer care, as low and middle income Countries we are backward” he said.
He decried that most patients being attended to are people with advanced disease mostly stage 3 and 4 disease who ended up being placed on palliative (supportive) care on account of their deteriorated condition to help improve their quality of life.
He said cancer is not a death sentence and encouraged cancer patients that the disease can be cured if detected early.

Dr. Nuhu Tumha, the Head of Oncology Unit Bingham University Teaching Hospital Jos disclosed that cancer is a rising public health problem that need to be tackled.
He further said cancer care is expensive and out of pocket payment is always impossible for most low and middle-income population. He thereby charged government and relevant policy makers to create special funding for cancer patients as many go bankrupt while trying to cure the disease.
“Treatment is possible if detected early” he posited.

Two Cancer Survivors, Alice Matawal and Amina Sani who also participated in the campaign walk encouraged cancer patients not to lose hope. They said early detection is vital urging the people to ensure they go for periodic screening test to detect the disease early where it exist.
They called on government to make it possible for all cancer patients to be covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and benefit from same, so they can get treatment for free due to the high cancer care. They commended health Practitioners for their professionalism, due diligence and sense of humanity in the discharge of their duties.

According to Health Experts, People can lower their risk of getting many common kinds of cancer by making healthy choices. Screening tests can find some cancers early, when treatment works best.

They said most people find it difficult to make healthy choices because of factors like where they live, their physical or mental abilities, or their income.

They said the cause of is multifactorial which means it involves the combination of genetic and environmental factors (chemical carcinogen such as cigarette smoke, emissions; physical carcinogens such as ionizing radiation and biological carcinogens such as viruses, bacteria)

According to them, general preventive measures are; weight control, regular exercise, healthy diet, avoidance of cigarette smoking, avoid harmful alcohol use, regular checkup, immunization against viruses that can cause cancer.