Orthopedists Urge More Advocacy On Musculoskeletal Tumor

National Orthopedic Association has called for more advocacy and awareness campaigns to curb the menace of musculoskeletal tumors in Nigeria.

The association made the call at its 46th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting, themed, “Musculoskeletal Tumors”, in Abuja.

President of the association, Muhammad Salihu, disclosed that musculoskeletal tumors are very common, even though there is not much awareness about what it is and its management.

“When you talk about tumors, people think about breast cancer and cervical cancer. But bone tumors are also very common. It is because we are not making a lot of noise about it, quite a number of Nigerians are dying from musculoskeletal tumors”, he said.

Salihu urged the government to add musculoskeletal tumor as one of the tumors that require government intervention as breast cancer and cervical cancer.

Salihu mentioned late presentation and high cost of treatment as some of the challenges facing diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal tumors in the country.

He however called on the government and other stakeholders to subsidise the management of musculoskeletal tumors, especially through partnership and integration with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).