The Federal Government of Nigeria has underscored the importance of partnering with private sector to find lasting solutions to the scourge of cancer in Nigeria.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at a two-day Stakeholder’s Engagement and Capacity Building programme organised by Innova Healthcare Nigeria Ltd., with the theme ‘Innova Healthcare Nigeria – Bringing the Total Oncology Solution.’
Represented by the National Coordinator of the National Cancer Control Programme, Dr. Uche Nwokwu, the minister said the government could not do it alone, hence the need to partner for greater result.
According to the minister, partnerships remained central to achieving Nigeria’s cancer control targets, aiming for total eradication.
“We also rely on collaborations with our partners to improve access to cancer care in Nigeria,” he said.
Salako said the National Cancer Control Plan aimed to reduce Nigeria’s cancer burden by 50 per cent by 2030 through improved screening, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship interventions.
He said the Cancer Access Partnership Programme, an initiative of the Federal Government, is currently providing anti-cancer medicines at subsidised rates in more than 24 hospitals nationwide. This, he said, would greatly enable patients with low income or less privilege to have access to medical facilities.
“The problem is not just treatment. Some patients struggle with transportation, accommodation and feeding costs, which significantly increase the burden of care,” he explained.
On his part, the Director-General, National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Prof. Usman Aliyu, said the private sector remained indispensable to strengthening healthcare systems, expanding access to life-saving technologies and reducing Nigeria’s cancer burden.
He stated that meaningful progress in cancer control requires strategic partnerships, innovation and sustained investments across the entire cancer care continuum.
“Today’s activities give an insight into what Innova is doing. Indirectly, it is a kind of human resource development and assistance to the country in strengthening the operational capability of doctors,” Aliyu said.
He noted that Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) were increasingly driving improvements in radiotherapy services, with many operational cancer centres now running through such collaborations.
He said nearly half of the radiotherapy centres currently providing services to Nigerian cancer patients are being operated through PPP arrangements.
Aliyu, however, said NICRAT had, through the Nigeria Cancer Access Partnership (NCAP) and the National Cancer Health Fund (NCHF), supported more than 10,000 Nigerians with cancer treatment, diagnostics and essential medicines.
Also speaking, the Business Development Director of Innova Healthcare Nigeria Ltd., Mr. Wong Kai Yan, said the company was committed to improving cancer treatment outcomes and bridging critical gaps in oncology care.
Yan said Nigeria faced shortages in radiotherapy equipment and specialised personnel, including radiation oncologists, medical physicists, oncology nurses and radiation therapists.
“We are here to bridge the two countries together, to bridge the two worlds together, to make sure we are able to deliver healthcare much better.”
He said Innova was exploring partnerships that would facilitate technology transfer, knowledge exchange and workforce development between Nigeria and Singapore.
Yan added that the company intended to provide end-to-end oncology solutions, including infrastructure development, equipment installation and professional trainings.
The Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Ikenna Njoku, said the initiative would help reduce medical tourism and make cancer treatment more affordable for Nigerians.
“What Innova has started is something that has been bothering Nigerians over the years. Medical tourism is going to reduce drastically and bring treatment costs to a level many Nigerians can afford,” he stressed.
Also speaking, Senior Consultant, Radiation and Clinical Oncologist at the National Hospital Abuja, Dr. Chinedu Aruah, said ongoing government efforts to strengthen oncology workforce capacity would improve cancer care delivery.
“A lot of people are willing to work, but incentives elsewhere are often better. As government improves the status of the workforce, things are going to take better shape,” he said.
Aruah described the engagement as a positive development that would improve access to radiotherapy services and help reduce treatment delays for cancer.
