NCS Wants Government To Implement Initiatives Against Cancer
The President of Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS), Prof. Abidemi Omonisi has called on the federal government of Nigeria to give more attention to the growing mortality rate from cancer by implementing initiatives generated to address the scourge.
Speaking during the signing of a partnership deal between NCS and United Nigeria Airlines in Lagos, Omonisi said NCS research towards locally developed cure should be supported by the government. He said dialysis and treatment could gulp as much as N50 million and many Nigerian lives are being lost after screening and detection because of the absence of well equipped diagnosis and treatment centres, inadequate professionals to treat cancer, late detection due to lack of awareness and the absence of a cure for the disease.
According to him, most drugs in Nigeria originate from western countries and the drugs do not work for Africans because of the difference in genetics composition.
“We are interacting with government to make access to screening and treatment facilities possible. It is not in every hospital that cancer can be treated and not every doctor or nurse can handle it. There are specialists on this,” he said.
Omonisi said a document on Cancer Control Plan 2026 to 2030 was launched on February 4, 2026 but that policy implementation is important. He urged government to fund cancer control measures and the research activities of NCS. NCS is 60 years old.
