No be small matter o! Naija don dey see increase for cancer cases, especially among young pipo wey suppose dey enjoy their life. Like wetin Professor Abidemi Omonisi, the president of Nigerian Cancer Society talk, e say children as young as 12 don dey catch cancer. How we go fit reason dis kind wahala now?
As dem dey review data wey dey come from cancer registries across di nation, e show say even teenagers dey suffer from colorectal cancer, wey be serious matter wey normally dey show face for adult pipo. Na blood and breast cancers too dey rise among our young ones, and e no go sweet to let dis kind gist pass without serious attention.
February 4 na World Cancer Day, and di theme for 2026 na “United by Unique.” But wetin we go celebrate when over 30 states no even get cancer control plans? E mean say plenty Nigerians no fit access correct diagnostic facilities or treatment centres. This one na serious wahala!
Professor Omonisi come yarn say, “Di way we dey see cancer cases don change. Five to ten years ago, na old pipo wey dey 50 and above dey catch dis kain disease pass, but now, children as young as 12, 13, and even 25 dey show sign. Na big challenge, especially colorectal cancer wey dey rise among young Naijans.”
According to di Global Cancer Observatory wey report for 2022, Naija get over 127,763 new cancer cases since 2020, and over 79,542 pipo don die because of am. Prostate, breast, and cervical cancers na di biggest killers for our country. As dem dey hype how to catch di symptoms early, wetin we fit do to make Naija better?
Omonisi still dey vex for di way blood cancers wey dem call haematological malignancies dey increase, yet no body dey talk about am. E explaine say, “We dey see people wey dey suffer from blood cancer, yet e no dey enter conversation for national health discussion. Childhood cancer don dey neglected for long time.”
Professor wey dey talk about where dis cancer wahala dey come from, say nah environmental factors wey dey expose pipo to cancer-causing agents like herbicides and pesticides wey farmers dey use. “Dem no dey follow di instruction wey di manufacturers give, and na wetin dey expose dem,” e add.
For more than 30 states, dem never fit adapt di National Cancer Control Plan wey federal government bring come. Na serious matter oo! Omonisi say, “Governors no dey show seriousness for this matter. Some states no get treatment centres, nothing dey work.” But e appreciate di progress wey di federal government don make, like di National Cancer Institute wey dem put for Lagos.
But o, e no sweet for eye to see di way major pharmaceutical companies dey exit Naija. Pfizer don pack their bags, and AstraZeneca dey threaten to follow. This one go make am hard for pipo to access cancer drugs as prices dey rise. Omonisi don call on di government to support private oncology centres because dem dey fill di gap wey strikes for public hospitals don create.
In summary, we no fit leave cancer treatment for public sektor alone. Private oncology centres dey try hard, but dem get wahala with loans and high running costs. If government fit support dem, dem go fit reduce prices and save more lives. Na wetin we go need quick-quick!
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