…as 60 cancer patients benefit from Medicaid Foundation’s ₦100m fund
Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, President-elect of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), has called for increased collaboration between government, the private sector, and civil society to strengthen Nigeria’s health system and ensure sustainable cancer care.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday during the launch of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation Circle and the disbursement of ₦100 million to 60 cancer patients, Shinkafi-Bagudu stressed that urgent action is needed as many Nigerians, particularly in rural areas, continue to die undiagnosed and untreated due to weak healthcare systems and limited screening coverage.
The event, held in observance of the November 17 Cervical Cancer Elimination Day of Action, brought together government officials, development partners, and private sector stakeholders. It highlighted the critical importance of early detection, domestic financing, and coordinated efforts to curb Nigeria’s rising cancer burden.
Shinkafi-Bagudu, a paediatrician and cancer advocate, acknowledged recent government progress but said much more remains to be done, saying, “The government is on the right track.
“We have seen six new cancer centres and an active Cancer Health Fund under the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), which provides e-wallet credits to patients in accredited hospitals. But we need more. We need a budgetary allocation. We need to resensitize that budget.
“We need the release of those funds that are appropriated in the budget. The budget is just a paper, but we need to see those funds coming through.
“So from the government side, they can also work with partners, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, industry partners that will support the process”.
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She further stressed that cervical cancer elimination requires urgent attention, “For instance, cervical cancer elimination, the day is on the 17th of November, and screening is something that we’re greatly lacking in.
“The Cervical Cancer Elimination Task Force needs more support so that screening at the national primary health care level is available at our primary health care centres.”
As co-chair of Nigeria’s Cervical Cancer Elimination Task Force and a UICC board member, Shinkafi-Bagudu said her global experience reinforces the urgent need for greater investment in nationwide screening programmes at the primary healthcare level.
Explaining the reason for the financial assistance to 60 cancer patients, the former First Lady, who is also the CEO and founder of the 20-year-old foundation, said the funds were raised through the foundation’s annual Walk Away Cancer campaign and other charitable donations.
The disbursement, she said, would support 60 patients through the foundation’s Patient Access to Care (PACE) programme, covering diagnosis, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and psychosocial support.
“This ₦100 million is a drop in the ocean. A woman diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in Nigeria needs about N₦25 million for treatment. Most of our patients present in stage 3 or 4, and survival rates drop to around 25 percent compared to 90 percent in high-income countries.
“We must focus on early detection, awareness, and health insurance so that care becomes affordable,” she stressed.
Dr. Yakubu Agada-Amade, the Director of Standards and Quality Assurance at the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), said the government is working to address cancer financing challenges, especially for the vulnerable.
“NHIA currently covers surgeries for all listed conditions, including cancer. We also support radiotherapy up to 50 percent and chemotherapy drugs through varying cost-sharing models.
“In some cases, we pay 70 percent while the patient covers 30 percent. Our partnerships with pharmaceutical companies help reduce the out-of-pocket burden for patients,” he said.
Dr. Agada-Amade disclosed that over 240 cancer patients, mostly breast cancer cases, have benefited from NHIA’s intervention through collaborations with pharmaceutical firms such as Roche.
He added that more patients are now presenting early for diagnosis, improving survival outcomes, while revealing that NHIA, in partnership with the National Assembly and the Ministry of Health, is working to establish a Catastrophic Health Fund to provide broader coverage for cancer, sickle cell disease, and end-stage renal failure.
On his part, Prof. Usman Aliyu, NICRAT Director General, who confirmed that the Cancer Health Fund had been transferred to the Institute for better coordination and expansion, however, expressed the government’s efforts to boost the fund
“In 2025, ₦200 million was appropriated for the fund. While this is not sufficient to meet the needs of our estimated 140,000 cancer patients nationwide, the government is committed to increasing resources and improving coordination,” he said.
Aliyu added that the upcoming Catastrophic Health Fund under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would serve as another financing mechanism for patients with major non-communicable diseases.
He also revealed that NICRAT plans to launch a National Childhood Cancer Programme in 2025 with support from NGOs and international partners.
“I must commend the Medicaid Foundation for its leadership. What Dr. Bagudu and her team have done is a model of partnership and compassion. We encourage more NGOs and corporate bodies to emulate this approach to support indigent patients,” he said.
The beneficiaries of the Medicaid Foundation’s ₦100 million support expressed deep gratitude to the initiator, describing the assistance as a priceless lifeline in their fight against cancer.
