Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday said cancer patients in Nigeria should not see the disease as a death sentence but seek early treatment to secure a higher chance of recovering.
Speaking at the 28th Annual Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO) Forum in Abuja, the 14th president also said the Federal Government should work with the private sector to combat cancer in Nigeria.
“These delays in diagnosis and proper referrals lead to a situation where a high percentage of cancer cases arrive at the point of treatment in advanced stages of the disease when it is difficult to recover from or even manage,” Jonathan said.
“Cancer management is quite expensive and a technology-dependent endeavour, but homegrown solutions such as the community-based LAPO C4 present us with hope.”
Around 70 per cent of cancer deaths in Africa is caused by late detection and referral for treatment. Poor access to treatment is also the primary cause for the high mortality rate in low and middle-income countries, including Nigeria.
“But with the required effort and manpower, we can evolve a system that works for our peculiar environment and gives us the best possible outcomes and reduce the possibility of loss of lives,” the former president added.
He also added that a continuing awareness campaign would be beneficial towards dismissing the fear and misconceptions Nigerians commonly have about cancer.
