Reprieve might soon come the way of cancer patients in Nigeria as the House of Representatives on Wednesday, urged the Federal Government to provide funding for the establishment of free cancer treatment centers across the country.
The call followed the adoption of a motion on a matter of urgent importance ‘The Need for Free Cancer Treatment in Nigeria’, moved by a member representing Shanono/Bagwai Federal Constituency in Kano State, Mr Yusuf Badau.
The lawmaker described the devastation caused by cancer disease and the rising number of cancer patients in Nigeria as alarming.
He said, “Urgent step is needed to cushion the effect on the affected persons of the disease. This disease has recorded unprecedented cases of deaths in recent times due to a lack of government intervention in cancer treatment which resulted in difficulties being experienced by many affected persons in meeting the financial obligation of the treatment.
“The House is aware that the majority of these affected persons are low-income earners mostly in rural communities where there is no or just little fund, awareness on prevention and managing cancer disease compared to other developed Nations of the world.