By Moses Emorinken, Abuja

As part of activities to commemorate June as the Cancer Survivors’ Month, the Kebbi State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with Medicaid Cancer Foundation has disbursed funds from the state Indigent Cancer Patients’ Fund to 58 cancer patients.

The fund, which was launched along with the state’s Cancer Control Plan last year, was introduced by Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu to ameliorate the struggle of citizens living with cancer across the state. It included a pool of resources donated by the state government, high net worth individuals as well as corporate bodies.

At the 4th disbursement, the Commissioner for Health, Jafaru Muhammad announced that 214 cancer patients have so far received support from the fund in addition to the 34 patients currently receiving treatment at the chemotherapy unit of Kebbi Medical Centre Kalgo.

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He added that the unit is fully operational and now has an impressive list of resident and visiting experienced Oncology Consultants to manage cancer patients.

Muhammad commended Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and his wife for their passion in providing quality health care for the people of Kebbi State.

The Cancer Patients Fund Desk Officer, Dr Jamilu Muhammad explained that the patients receive N200, 000 worth of treatment and drugs-all of which are further subsidised with a 50 per cent discount.

Highlights of the event was the distribution of the support letters to the patients and goodwill messages by a cross-section of representatives from partner organisations, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), who described the governor and his wife as advocates of effective health care service delivery.

In a related event carried out simultaneously, the Medicaid team also disbursed the sum of N600, 000 to six cancer patients who are yet to benefit from the Indigent Cancer Patients Fund.

Malam Nasir Karofi explained that Mrs Bagudu advocated assisting cancer patients with monetary support to aid them in navigating treatment.