TDCF harps on increased funding for childhood cancer treatment

Irked by the increased number of cases of childhood cancer in Nigeria, The Dorcas Cancer Foundation (TDCF) has called for more funding to enable children with the disease access early treatment.

The foundation, which commemorated the International Childhood Cancer Day at the Pediatric Oncology ward of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), said the major challenge facing childhood cancer remains lack of funds to treat cases detected early, which could have been prevented.

The Founder of the foundation, Dr. Joseph Adedayo, who was represented by the Programme Officer, Korede Akindele, stressed that lack of financial support has contributed to the increased number of childhood cancer in the country, which most times leads to death of the children.He said the foundation, which is committed towards supporting the treatment and survival of children with cancer, have so far sponsored the treatment of 30 children, from testing to chemotherapy, while over seven other children are still on their waiting list for treatment, due to lack of funds.

“We are hoping for people to support us so that we can be able to achieve our goals of getting more children with cancer treated so as to save their lives,” he added.

Also, the Manager, Sahara Foundation, Oluseyi Ojurongbe stressed that the total annual economic cost of cancer, which is estimated at $1.16 trillion dollars makes it imperative for various stakeholders across the globe to support sustainable awareness and prevention projects.He said the organisation remains resolute in its commitment to partnering with various stakeholders to “take cancer down”.

Also lamenting on lack of financial support for the treatment of children living with cancer, the Creative Director, value Media, which is also a partner of TDCF, Oluwatomi Giwa, said: “Government needs to have funds allocated to healthcare in general, there has to be a good infrastructure for healthcare in Nigeria and then we can help people, begin to fund research for cancer, get more drugs that could help people in the country. There are medicines from different researches done abroad, people and children have survived cancer in the past in other countries and I believe that Nigeria can also do the same if there are right funds allocated.”