The Chief Medical Director(CMD) of University College Hospital (UCH),Ibadan, Professor Temitope Alonge has called for concerted efforts at curtailing the spread of cancer among Nigerian women, stressing that necessary enlightenment, diagnosis and treatment of the disease require joint efforts of all, to reduce the disease in the country.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the opening session of the one week international scientific seminar on cancer at the hospital in Ibadan,Oyo state capital, Professor Alonge appealed to wealthy Nigerians including Senators and House of Representatives members to assist in the fight against the disease.
The seminar which has as its theme “The role of Pathologists in Oncologic Diagnosis and Management”, is being organised by the West African Division International Academy of Pathology(WADIAP) in conjunction with United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, Friends of Africa and AORTIC.
Professor Alonge said that funding remains key in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer especially among women, pointing out that in as much as the UCH and its medical personnel are ready to also enlighten people about the disease and offer best of treatment for those already with the disease wherever they may be in the country, wealthy individuals and politicians need to offer their own assistance too to reduce the number of those affected with the disease in the country.
“We at UCH are ready to offer best of treatment to those with the disease and even send our team to reach out to those with the disease but who are outside the state capital especially those in the rural areas. But funding is key.
“This is why we are appealing to wealthy individuals including our senators and House of Representatives members to also offer necessary assistance in our current efforts at tackling the disease and allow our women live longer and healthier lives.
“For instance, one customised TATA bus with all the necessary diagnostic equipments/facilities that could take our medical team to reach out to women in rural areas averagely cost N20 million. If we have some of these vehicles, we can always reach out to our rural women out there for necessary diagnosis and follow-ups.
“Hence, my appeal to our politicians,senators and House of Representatives members as well as wealthy Nigerians to also show their kindness and offer help in this regard.”
The President of West African Division International Academy of pathology (WADIAP), Col. Dr.Yawale Illiyasu (Rtd),also suggested creation of six diagnostic centres across Nigeria to assist in the early detection of cancer among the women in the country,pointing out”prevention is always better and cheaper than cure.”
“The theme for this year’ s conference which focuses on the subject of cancer in our sub region is a reminder of the heavy scourge that cancer has become in West Africa.
“It is sad to note that cancers are generally under diagnosed in our environment as a result of inadequate personnel and equipment. Pathologists form the core of the physicians trained and equipped for the definitive diagnosis of cancers all over the world,” he said.
Some of the resource persons at the seminar including the guest lecturer, Professor Steffen Hauptmann of Institute of Pathology Hamburg, Lademannbogen, Hamburg,Germany, Professor Adekunle Adesina of Baylor College of Medicine, Houston Texas and Dr.Oyedele Adeyi of University of Toronto, Canada, among others, all agreed that all hands must be on deck to curb the spread of breast, cervical and liver cancer among women in the West Africa sub region, especially in Nigeria.
The resource persons also called for collaboration among public and private sectors in the funding of diagnosis and treatment of the disease adding that there should be massive enlightenment of the women in the sub region on the need for them to make themselves readily available for test for the disease.
The resource persons noted that this has contributed immensely to the reduction of cancer cases in Europe.
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