New cancer care facility unveiled in Lagos

PEARL Oncology Specialist Hospital, a trailblazing medical facility dedicated to providing world- class cancer care in Nigeria, upgrades from a Cancer Clinic to a Specialist Cancer Care Hospital and officially opens its new facility with a grand launch event held in Lagos.

The facility was declared open on December 17, 2023, in Lagos, by Managing Director, Sahara Group, Mr Kola Adesina, alongside Director General, Nigeria Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment ( NICRAT), Prof Usman Malami Aliyu, who gave the event lecture which focused on Closing the Cancer Gap and a renowned Clinical and Radiation Oncologist at the University of Lagos, Prof Francis Durosinmi- Etti.

Founder and Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr Omolola Salako, in her keynote address, said: “Pearl Oncology Specialist Hospital is a specialized cancer centre with a vision to be the preferred choice of humane cancer care and an ally to conquer cancer in Africa. The hospital’s mission is to prevent, treat, cure and palliate cancer while advancing calm, clarity and hope in every patient interaction.

“Since the clinical operations commenced in 2021, Pearl Oncology Specialist Hospital has expanded into four cancer centres, treating over 400 unique cancer patients.

“As a patient- centric cancer centre, we recognise the financial challenges associated with cancer care. Through our TGIF Cancer Clinic, we have actively addressed this concern by providing discounted and subsidised treatment costs for 70 cancer patients, resulting in a cumulative value of N30 million in treatment discounts. This initiative underscores our commitment to alleviating the financial burden on patients and ensuring accessibility to high- quality cancer care.”

Chairman of the occasion, Mr Kola Adesina, remarked that what sets Pearl Oncology Specialist Hospital apart from the others is the hospital’s approach to humane cancer care. He emphasised the importance of putting empathy at the forefront of medicine and praised Dr Salako for her focus on closing the cancer gap.

Director General of NICRAT, in his lecture, explained that eliminating the barriers to cancer care was crucial and this was central to NICRAT’S mandate. He commended the Pearl Oncologist Specialist Hospital’s efforts in reducing the cost of breast cancer care through its Thank God it’s Friday cancer clinic and technology- enabled services.

Nestled in the heart of Lekki, Lagos, the hospital represents a pivotal moment in the healthcare landscape, offering a comprehensive range of specialized oncology services and state- of- the- art facilities designed to meet the unique needs of cancer patients.

“Pearl Oncology Specialist Hospital is a chain of cancer centres driving quality cancer care in various communities starting from the Lekki environs, where we are planted and expanding. At inception, we decided to share our clinical resources and expertise with established hospitals in various communities. By doing so, we are making quality cancer care available in hospitals like- Nigerian Navy Hospital, Ojo town- 2021, RJOLAD Hospital- Gbagada, 2022, St Nicholas Hospital VI- 2023, and more centres are loading,” Salako said.