As Medical Experts Advocate Health Insurance Coverage For Cancer Treatment

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide with 10 million people dying from the scourge every year globally and about 70 per cent of cancer death occurs in low and middle income countries like Nigeria.

However, more than 40 per cent of cancer-related deaths are preventable as they are linked to modifiable risk factors such as: smoking, alcohol use, poor diet and physical inactivity with at least one-third of all deaths prevented through routine screening, early detection and treatment, the centre director, NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre, Dr. Lilian Ekpo tells me.

In essence, Ekpo said millions of lives could be saved each year by implementing resource-appropriate strategies for prevention, early detection and treatment. “But sadly, we have identified inequality in cancer care; the people who seek cancer care usually hit barriers at every turn and we have also identified income, education, location and discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age disability and lifestyle as some of the factors that can negatively affect care,” she explained.

Speaking on what the federal government is doing to tackle the scourge, Ekpo revealed that the federal government, through the NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre has successfully done over 6231 chemotherapy treatments, 3,997 radiotherapy treatments and 97 brachytherapy treatments since 29th May 2019 when it commenced operation. “At NSIA-LUTH, we also have two radiotherapy wings containing two Varian vital beam linear accelerators and one Varian Halcyon linear accelerator; two chemotherapy suites; one general electric CT Simulator; one C-Arm Machine and Ultrasound machines. We are the first centre to offer world standard curative 3-dimensional high dose rate brachytherapy for gynaecological cancers in Nigeria and West Africa.

“The first centre in West Africa with stereotactic body radiotherapy and stereotactic ablative radiotherapy capability and the first centre in West Africa with a fully staffed and expert-trained pediatric radiation oncology unit with over 200 children treatment,” she disclosed.

From all indications, Ekpo averred that the federal government in partnership with NSIA has done well in tackling cancer in the country, but however advocated for the full enforcement of the National Health Insurance Act (NHIA) which ensures that all Nigerians have insurance coverage. “That way, more Nigerians would go for routine screening and we will pick cases at an early stage, because at stage one for instance, there is over 95 per cent survival rate,” she added.

She also called on Nigerians to prevent cancer by adopting lifestyles that can prevent its occurance; go for regular screening with a view to detecting early if it occurs and getting treatment on time when diagnosed with the condition.

In the same vein, the chief medical director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof. Chris Bode, who was represented by the chairman, Medical Advisory Council (CMAC), LUTH, Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, said the cancer scourge needs to be controlled, and one way to do that is through early detection. “If we allow the NHIA to work, health care in Nigeria will be better, in that all Nigerians would have insurance coverage,” the CMD averred.