Correspondent in Ilorin.
As Nigerians joined the global community on Friday to mark the World Cancer Day, the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Kwara has urged the three tiers of government to make breast cancer treatment free.
Dr. Bilqis Alatishe-Muhammad, the Association President gave the advice in a statement she issued to commemorate the World Cancer Day in Ilorin.
Alatishe-Muhammad noted that the Day is marked every February 4th, to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment as well as to strive to significantly reduce the illness and death caused by cancer.
She reflected on the theme of this year theme:” Closing the Care Gap”,adding that the
association joined the rest of the world in marking the day to create awareness on the scourge of the disease,educate people about the disease, and pressing governments as well as individuals on the need to take action against the disease.
The expert stated that about 10 million people die each year, globally, from cancer, adding that the statistics had been projected to rise to 13 million by 2030.
She expressed concern that: “Women are mostly affected and there is need for the world to work assiduously to ensure that cancer occurrence is markedly reduced.
“Government should ensure accessibility to cancer treatment by making cancer treatment free and also prevent financial catastrophe, by incorporating cancer management and treatment into the social health insurance scheme.
“Closing the care gap will ensure about one third cases prevented and one third cured, if detected early,” she said.
Alatishe-Muhammad further advised that prevention, early detection and treatment could save millions of lives.
Our Correspondent reports that sidelines of the activities of the Day include, “Cancer Awareness Walk’ organised by the association to sensitize the public on the need to get screened for the disease.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
