The Lancet Oncology Report launch yesterday by the Association of Radiation and Clinical Oncologist of Nigeria (ARCON) has revealed that cancer Killed more people than COVID-19 in Africa in 2020.
The report also said that COVID-19 has made matters worse on cancer in the region as more than 28,000 children died of cancer in Sub-saharan Africa in 2020.
Speaking during the launch of the report titled ‘Cancer in Sub-saharan Africa: a Lancet Oncology Commission, in Abuja, the director, global health catalyst, Prof. Wil Ngwa, said
it is estimated that about 600,000 people died of cancer in a year while about 400,000 died of COVID-19.
He said “The estimate is about 600,000 deaths per year for cancer and for COVID-19, the estimate is about 400,000. We know that they are underestimated but if you really give additional numbers, we should have about 400,000. More people died of cancer than COVID-19.”
Ngwa described cancer as a silent killer, saying a lot of people, especially those in rural areas do not know so they just attribute cancer deaths to witchcraft.
“We must address cancer with equal urgency as with COVID-19,” he said.
