Stakeholders at the official launch of the ECHAlliance Nigeria Ecosystem on Thursday called for strategic innovation, collaboration, and increased funding to enhance cancer care and outcomes for patients and survivors in Nigeria.

They agreed that genuine progress depends on consistent investment, patient-centred policies, and the collective will to address cancer from all aspects- medical, psychological, economic, and social.

Speaking at the lunch in Abuja, Convener of the ECHAlliance Nigeria Ecosystem, Dr. Ayuba Hannatu Usman, highlighted the importance of unlocking innovative funding models and fostering partnerships that prioritise patients in care strategies.

The event brought together oncologists, public health experts, mental health advocates, policymakers, and cancer survivors to discuss innovative approaches and systemic reforms required to tackle cancer effectively.

Usman said, “We are also looking at how to unlock innovative funding for our cancer patients and survivors. We are a type of fund, but we are looking for other areas, and that’s why we are reaching out to philanthropists. We are calling out different agencies that will see the human face of cancer and be able to bring out more impactful programs that will support our patients.

“Our patients are going through a lot. The financial burden is a great deal. We have a lot of barriers, cancer disparities, and health inequities that our cancer patients and survivors face. That’s why we are taking the opportunity, as we launch this ecosystem, to discuss these issues in the same room with all these different stakeholders, including our cancer patients and survivors.

We are listening to them, and we are also part of the solution.”
Highlighting the need for accessible and timely diagnosis, Prof. Tajudeen Ayodeji Olasinde, Chief Consultant Radiation and Clinical Oncologist at ABUTH Zaria, called for at least two to three fully functional oncology centres in every state.

Olasinde said, “With a population of over 200 million, Nigeria must go beyond regional cancer centres. Each state should have multiple functional oncology centres where patients can be diagnosed early and treated promptly. We must also provide psychosocial support to the families and caregivers of patients; true cancer care must be holistic.”

Speaking at the launch, Communities Director at ECHAlliance, Mr. Andy Bleaden, urged Nigeria to implement the Abuja Declaration, which calls for increased national spending on health.

Bleaden said, “The Abuja Declaration was signed here in Nigeria, and implementing it would dramatically improve health outcomes. Countries like Rwanda and Egypt have done so and seen the impact.
“Cancer can be beaten in Nigeria. But we must improve data systems and expand healthcare coverage. Nigeria has the opportunity to lead in innovation and show the global community the potential of a vibrant, young country.”

Also speaking, the founder of Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative and a Global Mental Health Advocate, Ameh Zion Abba, stressed that the mental toll of cancer is often ignored in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Abba said, “Over 124,000 new cancer cases are reported yearly in Nigeria, but many patients suffer in silence, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.

“More than one in three cancer patients experience clinical depression, anxiety, PTSD, and even suicidal thoughts. These mental health challenges affect treatment success and quality of life. Yet structured psychosocial support is nearly non-existent.”

He called for urgent integration of mental health services into cancer care frameworks to ensure patients are not fighting “cancer and hopelessness simultaneously.”