Medical women urges Nigeria’s govt to make breast cancer treatment free

Nigeria

Kehinde Akinpelu

The Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), in Nigeria’s middle belt Kwara State, on Friday appealed to the Government at all tiers to make breast cancer treatment free for Nigerian women.

Dr. Bilqis Alatishe-Muhammad, the Association President made the call in a press statement issued to commemorate the World Cancer Day in the capital city of Ilorin.

Our correspondent reports that the World Cancer Day 2022 is marked every February 4th to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment.

The primary goal of the Day is to significantly reduce the illness and death caused by cancer.    

Alatishe-Muhammad stated that the theme of the 2022 World Cancer Day is “Closing the Care Gap”, adding that the association joins the rest of the world in marking the day in order to create awareness on the scourge of the disease.

According to her, the Day aims to prevent millions of deaths each year by raising awareness and education about cancer and pressing governments and individuals across the world to take action against the disease.

The expert stated that about 10 million people die each year from cancer and this has been projected to rise to 13 million by 2030.

 “Women are mostly affected and there is need for the world to work assiduously to ensure cancer occurrence is reduced.

“The Government should ensure accessibility to cancer treatment by making cancer treatment free and also prevent financial catastrophe by incorporating cancer management and treatment into the social health insurance scheme.

“Closing the care gap will ensure about one third cases prevented and one third cured if detected early,” she said.

Alatishe-Muhammad advised that prevention, early detection and treatment can save millions of lives.

Side-lines of the activities of the World Cancer Day include “Cancer Awareness Walk’ organised to sensitize the public on the need to get screened for the disease.