.First Lady urges empathy for patients
Over 500,000 Africans died of cancer in 2022, with about 882,000 new cases reported in the region, World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed.
The body warned that if urgent measures are not taken, mortality on the continent might hit one million yearly by 2030.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, in a message to commemorate the 2024 World Cancer Day, noted that about 50 per cent of new cases are breast, cervical, prostate, colorectal and liver cancers, adding that in 20 years, death rates would overtake the global average of 30 per cent.
She said: “This is more so because cancer survival rates in the WHO African region currently average 12 per cent, much lower than the average of over 80 per cent in high-income countries. Nevertheless, we commend the progress made in cancer prevention and care in our region. For instance, 17 countries have introduced high-performance-based screening tests in line with WHO recommendations. Also, 28 of our member-states have introduced nationwide HPV vaccination to reach about 60 per cent of the priority population targeted with HPV vaccination.”
Moeti called on African countries, communities, partners and civil society to unite and foster universal access to cancer prevention and care.
Relatedly, wife of the President, Oluremi Tinubu, has enjoined Nigerians to always show empathy, care, love and support for patients and survivors nationwide.
She observed that this year’s celebration presents an an opportunity to raise awareness and elaborate prevention, early detection and treatment.
The First Lady added that this year’s theme, “Closing the Care Gap,” speaks to the need for people to deepen efforts in putting in place infrastructure to address health challenges.
Her words: “No one should have to face the challenges of cancer alone. Let us continue to show empathy, care, love and support for cancer patients and survivors, even as we create more awareness and advocacy for better service delivery.”
Also, Hassy’s Haven Foundation, yesterday, noted that the disease has become a health concern in the country, affecting 28 per cent of the population directly or indirectly.
In a statement, the founder, Hassana Muhammad Yakubu, it said the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment disclosed that Nigeria records over 120,000 new cases yearly.
