‘Nigeria lacks required oncologists to fight cancer’

The number of oncologist in Nigeria is nowhere close to attend to the country’s huge population, the Executive Director and founder of Project PINK BLUE, Runcie C.W. Chidebe said.

He said “There are only 50 oncologists for a population of over 180 million people. So the government needs to intervene with fellowships and investments in noncommunicable diseases in the country.”

Chidebe was speaking at the opening ceremony of the ‘Upgrade Oncology’ training in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, the US Embassy in Nigeria and the Fullbright Specialist Program of the US Department of State.

He expressed how little has been done in terms of awareness in cancer diagnosis and treatment in Nigeria saying “In estimation, every single day, Nigerian oncologists are faced with the worst and most horrible cases of cancer and meet limited treatment facilities.

Therefore, we urge oncologists to improve their skills to provide better care for cancer patients across Nigeria.”

The medical oncology training programme will hold from the August 14-25 with courses and lectures by professional oncologists from Nigeria and also, associate professors and oncologist, Dr Tracey O’Connor from the Rosswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo and Dr Mike Martin of the University of Tennessee West Cancer Centre in the US.

Present during the ceremony were the Ag. Cultural Affairs Officer of the US Embassy, MaliaHeroux and Prof Tajudeen Olasinde, the Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria.