The Nigerian Cancer Society, NCS, has rejected the N150 million earmarked for cancer care in the 2025 budget, insisting the amount will not be enough considering the spate of the disease and the cost of treating patients.
The Society appealed to the National Assembly to utilise the opportunity of the current budget review to possibly increase the amount allocated to the Cancer Health Fund.
NCS President, Prof Abidemi Omonisi raised the concerns during a workshop for health journalists on Human Papilloma Virus, HPV, vaccine uptake in Nigeria.
Prof Ominisi lamented that the N150 million appropriated will do nothing to address the problem, noting that it costs up to N20 million to stabilise one breast cancer patient to give her hope of surviving the disease.
He warned that without an increase, many cancer patients would be deprived of life-saving care.
”I want to use this opportunity as the President of the Nigerian Cancer Society to appeal to the National Assembly, we are aware that the budget is being reviewed and they must have the power to increase that amount being committed to a cancer fund, otherwise, we are telling our citizens to go and die.
”What would the N150 million do to address this problem? To stabilise some of these patients, to give a little hope that the patient will survive, we need at least N20 million. How many patients can afford N20 million in Nigeria?
”You know, we are so passionate about this because our past president died of liver cancer. A past president of the Nigerian Cancer Society, he was a professor of medicine and a past commissioner for health. You know, he sold his car, sold his house, we contributed money to save his life, he went to India, came back, and died two years later. A rich man became poor and died of liver cancer. So what is the fate of a poor Nigerian?
”We voted the National Assembly to protect the common man and one area they can show humanitarian services and solidarity to the poor is this cancer health fund. Cancer is a humanitarian issue, the rich can become paupers when cancer hits.
”If there is anything we want to press home, it is that N150 million is not acceptable to the Nigerian Cancer Society.
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