Jonathan, others seek homegrown solution to cancer

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called for homegrown solution to cancer in Nigeria to ensure the nation makes significant progress in management and treatment of the disease.

He disclosed this in Abuja, yesterday, during the 28th Annual LAPO Development Forum, packaged by Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO), a non-governmental organisation committed to social, health and economic empowerment of poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

The theme of the event was: Promoting Community-Based Cancer Control Programme in Nigeria.

“Cancer management is quite expensive and a technology-dependent endeavour. But homegrown solutions such as the community-based LAPO C4, present us with hope. With the required effort and manpower, we can evolve a system that works for our peculiar environment, gives us the best possible outcomes, and reduces the possibility of loss of lives,” Jonathan said.

He regretted that late detection and referral and poor access to treatment account for the high mortality rate in poorer countries. He said delays in diagnosis and proper referrals cause a high percentage of cancer cases to arrive points of treatment at advanced stages when they are difficult to recover from or manage.

“The community-based approach to creating early detection awareness campaign and controlling the spread and management of cancer from the bottom up, as proposed by LAPO, is quite laudable.

“This is because it promises to deliver better treatment outcomes through early diagnosis and referrals. I believe that a collaborative and community-based health care system will go a long way to improve our health sector,” he added.

In his remarks, Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, reiterated the commitment of his ministry to collaborate with LAPO and other organisations in the fight against cancer in Nigeria, as well as strengthen synergy between the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) and civil society organisations.

Ehanire was represented by Zainab Shariff, who is the Director of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine Institute (TCAMI) in the ministry.

In his address, Founder of LAPO, Godwin Ehigiamuse, noted that the project is being implemented in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos, Edo, Rivers and Imo States, in partnership with 12 community-based organisations.