Adewole calls for increased investment on cervical cancer

Health Minister, Professor Isaac Adewole while showcases on going cancer control reforms in Nigeria has challenged global leaders in health to invest in cervical cancer control.

Adewole, in a release spoke so the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, urged them to also designate cervical cancer as a major public health challenge and to intensify efforts to attract investment in vaccines access and treatment.

The Health Minister described cervical cancer as a disease of inequity citing an International Agency for Research on Cancer Report that revealed that almost nine out of 10 (87 per cent) cervical cancer deaths occur in the less developed regions.

“If we do nothing, your excellences the burden of cervical cancer will increase, by 2035 and increase of 72 per cent, far higher than the global increase of 43 per cent. We will also record near 50 per cent increase in mortality.”

Adewole pointing out that the report showed that the poorest countries will suffer more from cervical cancer. “This is a systems failure and it occurs because the systems have failed, the people have failed and we have failed everybody.”

At another event with the theme “Cervical Cancer: A Non Communicable Disease” We can overcome”, Prof. Adewole declared “The poor people are affected, and for me, at governmental level, we need to improve socioeconomic status in the country, we need to improve wellbeing, we need to build a strong system”

“The first thing I did last year was to say we will offer free screenings to about 200,000 women across the country and this year my main mission is to screen women free of charge in Nigeria for cervical cancer.

“And for the first time, I have been able to put cancer prevention in my health budget, which is also significant. It is not the quantum of money that is there but the fact that I have been able to include and I know that within the next one or two years I will be able to grow that money.“

The Minister disclosed that the three main non communicable diseases(NCDs) killing Nigerians include cancer, kidney and heart problems. He disclosed that the government is currently equipping seven centres for cancer prevention and management which he designated as “centres of excellence”.

“We believe that each of those centres should be able to handle surgical oncology, radiotherapy and medical oncology,” Professor Adewole said.