Posted on: Thu 04-09-2025

NCS President Raises Alarm Over Oncologist Shortage and Late-Stage Prostate Cancer in Nigeria

At the opening of the Science of Advanced Prostate Cancer in Africa (SoAPCA) Conference 2025 in Lagos, the President of the Nigeria Cancer Society (NCS), Professor Abidemi Omonisi, revealed a troubling gap in Nigeria’s cancer care system: 16 states currently have no radiation or clinical oncologist.

Key Highlights

• Patients in underserved states are forced to travel hundreds of kilometers for basic cancer treatment.
• Even in states with oncologists, specialists are overwhelmed, often working long hours to meet demand.
• Nearly half of Nigeria’s oncologists are concentrated in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.

Prostate Cancer: A Growing Threat

Professor Omonisi emphasized that prostate cancer is now the leading cancer among Nigerian men over 30, surpassing liver cancer. Alarmingly, most cases are diagnosed at advanced stages, even among educated and influential individuals.

“The stigma, the fear, and the reluctance of men to seek help until they are completely down is costing us lives,” he said.

Funding and Access Challenges

• Only N150 million was allocated in the 2025 federal budget for breast, cervical, and prostate cancer combined.
• Most Nigerians pay out-of-pocket for treatment, with costs running into hundreds of thousands or even millions of naira.
• Advanced therapies like hormone treatments and targeted drugs remain unaffordable for many.

Cultural Barriers and Brain Drain

• Fear of orchidectomy (surgical removal of the testes) deters many men from seeking timely treatment.
• Modern alternatives exist, but they are costly and largely inaccessible.
• Nigerian oncologists are migrating to countries like Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, where they earn six to seven times more than in Nigeria.

Call to Action

Professor Omonisi urged the National Assembly to prioritize cancer funding in the 2026 Appropriation Bill and called for:

• Government-backed cancer support funds
• Special incentives to attract oncologists to underserved regions
• Public awareness campaigns to encourage early screening and treatment

“Cancer should not be a death sentence simply because of poverty,” he concluded.

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