Only 600,000 out of four million Nigerians have access to radiotherapy ― Agboola

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Professor Ayodeji Agboola, has disclosed that only 600,000 out of four million Nigerians have access to radiotherapy in cancer treatment.

Agboola, a Professor of Cancer Pathology. of the state-owned institution, said this while delivering the 99th inaugural lecture of the university, on Tuesday, that the waiting period for treatment increased the mortality rate among the sufferers.

In the lecture titled: “Unravelling Breast Cancer Mortality in Nigeria: Pains and Prospects,” Agboola, noted that many patients with breast cancer in the country are faced with a huge financial burden.

He stated that asides from genetically modifiable factors, personal, environmental, and modifiable lifestyle were some of the attributes that could develop breast cancer.

The university lecturer called for the establishment of a Cancer Research Centre for in-depth research into cancer diagnosis and drug discovery in the country.

“Out of 4 million patients in Nigeria that need radiotherapy, only 15 per cent was reported to have access to the facilities.

“Patients with breast cancer in Nigeria are faced with a huge financial burden. The World Health Organisation (WHO) raised the alarm in 2014 when 95.4 per cent of the out-of-pocket expenditure for health care was reported for Nigeria. Many years later, nothing much has changed in this country.

“Most of the public hospitals are overcrowded with lack of human resources and this prolongs the waiting period and consequently increases the mortality rate in addition to untold pains imposed on the patients.

“The out-of-pocket expenditure is the main reason why patients with breast cancer discontinue treatments. In Nigeria, only 17.4 per cent of the patients with breast cancer receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy compared to 86 per cent in the United State.

“Meaningful cancer prevention and management can only be based on strategic research activities and implementation of the findings,” he added

He lamented the poor attitude of women towards breast self-examination, saying this could lead to a late presentation at the clinic and consequently result in a poor outcome.

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