Posted on: Wed 05-02-2025

The Federal Government is exploring a unique approach to cancer care through health insurance coverage for cancers, in accordance with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act 2022. It has immunised over 12 million girls against cervical cancer, according to the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, yesterday.

Meanwhile, the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has urged Nigerians to prioritise their health and support one another in the fight against cancer, emphasising the need for awareness, early detection and equitable access to treatment.

The Federal Government noted, yesterday, that NHIA developed a robust concept note and implementation plan for Catastrophic Health Insurance (CHI) that would support patients with end-stage renal diseases, cancers and sickle cell, adding that the CHI would benefit from the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) and other funding mechanisms within the NHIA.

It is set to commission three of the six new cancer centres, being upgraded with new Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine facilities, in May 2025, while the remaining three were billed to be commissioned on or before the 2026 World Cancer Day.

Minister of State for Health, Dr Iziaq Salako, disclosed at the briefing to mark World Cancer Day, yesterday, in Abuja, that the Bola Tinubu government intended to sustain the initiative throughout its tenure so that before 2030, every part of the country would have been equipped to treat all forms of cancer.  

Salako described the move as a unique strategy to attain the global target of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to eliminate cervical cancer and other preventable cancers by the year 2030.

The minister observed that the government was working to improve access to cancer care services in all the federal tertiary health institutions for prompt diagnosis and comprehensive treatment, adding that the ministry would give NHIA all the necessary support to seamlessly implement the CHI.  He also observed that the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) is working to ease access to the cancer health fund and expand its scope in terms of the types of cancers covered and the health institutions where they can be accessed.

SPEAKING at a ministerial press briefing in Abuja to mark the 2025 World Cancer Day, Salako stated that the nationwide vaccination campaign against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the primary cause of cervical cancer, had been successful since its launch in 2023.

“It is heart-warming to note that we have successfully immunised over 12 million girls for HPV, and efforts are ongoing to improve on this achievement,” the minister said.  He encouraged parents, community leaders and stakeholders to support the immunisation programme to protect young girls from preventable cancers.

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) is leading the HPV vaccination programme as part of efforts to prevent and control cancer in the country.

In Nigeria, cervical cancer is the third most common cancer and the second most frequent cause of cancer deaths among women aged between 15 and 44 years. According to WHO, Nigeria recorded 12,000 cases and 8,000 deaths from cervical cancer in 2020.  Salako further highlighted the government’s commitment to strengthening cancer prevention and treatment under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“The government has made significant investments in cancer prevention and care in the last 18 months, possibly more than any previous administration,” he stated.

Beyond prevention, he noted that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare was expanding access to cancer treatment through improved health insurance coverage.

IN a message commemorating World Cancer Day, yesterday, the President’s wife highlighted the devastating impact of cancer on individuals and families across Nigeria and beyond.

World Cancer Day is observed on February 4 to raise awareness about cancer prevention, detection and treatment, with a global push towards reducing the impact of the disease.

The First Lady’s message reads, “As we observe World Cancer Day today, we are reminded of the burden cancer places on millions of individuals and families in Nigeria, and around the globe.”

According to her, this year’s theme, ‘United by Unique’, underscores the importance of personalised cancer treatment, ensuring that care is tailored to meet the specific needs of each patient.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

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