Osinbajo lays foundation of Cancer Centre, says Kano leading in fight against cancer

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday laid the foundation stone of a Cancer Treatment Centre in Kano State.

The vice president added that Kano State is leading the way in the fight against the cancer epidemic in the state.

Osinbajo said: “With the cutting-edge facilities as we have just heard from the governor and the experts managing the facility. Also as I laid the foundation, I was made to understand that Governor Abdullahi Ganduje is very serious about it.

“This Centre is not meant for Kano alone, but it is for the whole nation. We commend you the governor for your foresightedness, dedication and patriotism. This is great work you are doing. You are about to put in place the best Cancer Treatment Centre in the country.”

Osinbajo added that states were invited to be part of the stakeholders to discuss the Federal Government’s National Cancer Control Plan with the intention of curbing the problem, adding that Kano State has been in the forefront in this direction.

Speaking earlier, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje said the centre was initiated as a replica to the World Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia.

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“We observed that cancer is becoming prevalent, with prostate cancer affecting men and cervical and breast cancer disturbing women. So we decided to come up with a workable solution to it.

“We visited Melbourne, Australia World Cancer Treatment Centre. What I saw there moved my administration to work towards making something similar to that in our dear state, Kano.

“So we invited experts on cancer from across the world. We deliberated upon finding an effective way to put this facility you are laying its foundation sir. We came to the conclusion that the type we are having today can take care of 90 per cent cancer problem of our people,” he said.

Ganduje assured that a concrete arrangement is made to take care of the sustainability of the project, emphasising that, “business will not be as usual. For us to keep sustainability in sight, we decided that the Public-Private Partnership would be used in managing the facility. It will be managed by global experts.”

In his remarks, the state commissioner of health, Dr Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa, after listing major feats achieved by the administration added that, “I would also like to use this opportunity to appreciate religious and traditional rulers (5 Emirate Councils), our partners like WHO, CDC-NSTOP, UNICEF, MNCH2, CHAI, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dangote Foundation, ROTARY, CORE GROUP, Malaria Consortium, SOLINA, DFID and numerous others for their continuous support in improving the healthcare sector.”

The Vice President inaugurated Aminu Dantata flyover of over 2km at Murtala Mohammed Way, Tijjani Hashim, Galadiman Kano underpass, Kofar Ruwa, laid the foundation stone for the construction of Sheik Qariballah Nasuru Kabara flyover, Shahuci and had an interactive session at Gidan Makama Museum, on Emir’s Palace road.