By Joshua Jacob
Health experts and cancer advocates have called for urgent and sustained action to improve early detection, treatment, and access to care for children with cancer in Nigeria.
They made their position known during a symposium in Abuja, ahead of the International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD), marked every February 15 to support children and adolescents with cancer.
The stakeholders highlighted the challenges facing paediatric oncology and the need for collaborative efforts to improve survival rates.
In a keynote address, Professor Biobele Brown, a renowned paediatric oncologist from the University College Hospital, Ibadan, painted a stark picture of the realities of childhood cancer in the country.
He noted that only 8.1% of parents in a recent study had knowledge of childhood cancer, leading to late presentation and poor outcomes.
Professor Brown also said late diagnosis, poor referral systems, and high treatment costs significantly hinder efforts to improve survival rates, which remain below 30% in Nigeria compared to over 80% in developed countries.
According to the paediatric oncologist, increased sensitization, proper referral systems, and improved healthcare infrastructure are crucial in reversing the trend.
Contributing, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding cancer treatment facilities and integrating paediatric cancer care into national health insurance schemes.
Dr. Salako represented by his special adviser, Dr. Kehinde Ololade, acknowledged the economic burden of cancer treatment on families and emphasized the need for increased public as well as private sector collaboration for equitable access to care.
Earlier, the founder and CEO of the Akanimo Cancer Foundation, Mrs. Idara Ekanem, who lost her son to cancer at the age of 12, pledged the foundation’s continued support for raising awareness and funding research.
Mrs. Ekanem explained that this year the foundation started an initiative (that enables individuals and organizations to financially support a child’s cancer treatment and “Run for Nemo,” an walk to raise funds for research and advocacy.
The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Dr. Usman Waziri, stated that it must strengthen its paediatric oncology infrastructure, expand and equip more hospitals with specialized units and diagnostic facilities, as well as train more skilled health workers.
Also, the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Amos Magaji, assured stakeholders that the 2025 budget will prioritize cancer care, with specific focus on early detection initiatives and expanding cancer treatment centers across the country.
Other stakeholders called for collaborative efforts among government agencies, healthcare professionals, and private organisations to ensure that no child dies due to lack of access to cancer treatment.
The 2025 ICCD has as its theme “Inspiring Action: Actionable Solutions to Strengthen Healthcare Infrastructure, Early Detection, and Access to Care for Childhood Cancer in Nigeria.”
The symposium, organized by the Akanimo Cancer Foundation in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, brought together health experts, policymakers, cancer advocates, and students to discuss the urgent need for early detection and improved access to care for children with cancer.
