The head of Oncology Department of the University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Rawlings Jamabo, has appealed to the Federal and state governments to provide free cancer treatment for patients in Nigeria, as a measure to reduce the high rate of cancer related deaths in the country.
Jamabo, made the appeal while addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt on the forth-coming World Cancer Day, February 4.
He said the call/appeal has become necessary following the increasing cases of the ailment in the country, followed by its high cost of treatment, which according to him is beyond the financial capacity of Nigerians.
The coordinator of Cancer Therapy in the University however blamed the rising cases and death toll of victims of the disease in the country on the ability of patients to report early in hospitals apparently for lack of money.
He noted that patients of the disease would report early for treatment, should they realise that the treatment is free as is done in developed countries of the World.
Jamabo said, “Generally, cancer patients don’t take us serious and as such they do not present themselves early on time for treatment. These are the things we want to guide against.
“Abroad, the government bears the cost of cancer treatment because it is very expensive.
Regrettably, in Nigeria, the patients are left to pay huge sums of money. But I believe that the treatment of cancer will be less for us if the government gets fully involved”.
“The willingness of governments in Nigeria to take over the financial cost of cancer treatment will reduce the rate of patients lost to cancer. The cost of cancer treatment is huge and most individuals cannot bear the cost of treatment without getting financial support from the government.
“The earlier the Federal and state governments adopt a health policy of free-cancer treatment for cancer patients the better for our health system. Cancer patients, knowing that government will be responsible for the cost of their treatment will not hesitate to approach oncologists for treatment and the management of their condition,” he insisted.