As the world marks the International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) today, childhood cancer survivors, families, and experts have called on the federal government to take urgent action in supporting children battling with the disease.
Childhood cancer remains a leading cause of death among children globally, with an estimated 400,000 new cases diagnosed each year.
In Nigeria, the burden is alarming, with about 40,000 children diagnosed annually. Yet, the disease continues to receive limited attention compared to adult cancers such as breast, cervical, and prostate cancer.
The president of the Nigeria Cancer Society (NCS), Prof. Abidemi Omonisi, emphasised the lack of focus on childhood cancer, noting that it had been overshadowed by adult cancer awareness and funding.
He said, “Many people believe that children do not get cancer, but data from cancer registries show otherwise. We have seen that cancer does not discriminate, it affects both the rich and the poor. Even newborns can be diagnosed with cancer, as some forms are inherited,” Omonisi stated.
He revealed that during his national assignment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in 2023, they established the first federal government-funded cancer registry. Data from the children’s oncology department indicated that more than 300 new pediatric cancer cases were recorded within a year at LUTH alone.
“Now, imagine the numbers when we account for all the teaching hospitals across Nigeria. The government must prioritise childhood cancer as a major health issue,” he said.
He told LEADERSHIP Weekend that the data also revealed that “it is no longer the Burkitt Lymphoma that we used to have, what we see more now is leukemia (cancer of the blood).”
For families dealing with childhood cancer, the financial burden is overwhelming.
A childhood cancer survivor and advocate, Adekemi Oyewusi, was diagnosed with Burkitt Lymphoma at the age eight. She battled the disease for two years before overcoming it. Now, she is on the forefront of the fight for free childhood cancer treatment in the country.
“Children should not have to pay for healthcare, especially those battling with chronic illnesses like cancer. Yet, families are left to struggle, even having to buy basic medical consumables such as gloves and scissors during treatment,” Oyewusi said.
She pointed out the stark contrast with HIV/AIDS treatment, which has become largely free due to the government’s intervention. “If we could make HIV/AIDS treatment free, why can’t we do the same for childhood cancer?” she questioned.
Also, Titilayo Adewumi, whose son Shittu Adewumi was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of five, described the financial and emotional toll of his two-year treatment.
“When I ran out of money, the Okapi Foundation came to my rescue, covering my son’s hospital bills. Treatment is extremely expensive. We started at Asokoro General Hospital, Abuja, before being referred to the National Hospital, Abuja. My son missed four years of school, but thankfully, he is now well and has returned to his studies,” she explained.
Adewumi urged other parents facing similar challenges to remain hopeful. “Cancer is not the end of the road for our children,” she reassured.
She appealed to the government and all relevant stakeholders to give attention to childhood cancer.
The head of management, Okapi Children Cancer Foundation, Dr. Ozy Okonokhua, identified funding as the biggest obstacle to supporting children with cancer.
“The government is only just beginning to recognise pediatric cancer as a major health challenge. For years, all the focus has been on breast, cervical, and prostate cancer. Because childhood cancer has been ignored, awareness and solutions remain inadequate,” Okonokhua noted.
According to him, late diagnosis is another major concern. “Many children arrive at hospitals when it’s almost too late. In developed countries, 80 percent of children with cancer survive due to early diagnosis and treatment. In Nigeria, only 20 per cent survive,” he revealed.
Dr. Okonokhua told LEADERSHIP Weekend that the most common childhood cancers seen in the country today include leukemia, lymphoma, and retinoblastoma (eye cancer). At the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) and the National Hospital, Abuja, he said cases of retinoblastoma were rising.
On cancer Health Fund, the acting director of Cancer Prevention and Control at the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Dr. Usman Waziri, said while no significant funding was allocated for childhood cancer in 2024, advocacy efforts were ongoing to secure a dedicated budget for 2025.
Similarly, the national coordinator, National Cancer Control and Nuclear Medicine Programme at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Uchechukwu Nwokwu, revealed that the federal government was collaborating with the World Health Organisation (WHO) under the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer to improve diagnosis, treatment, and awareness.
“We are developing childhood cancer awareness materials, which will be translated into multiple languages. These materials will start airing on February 15, International Childhood Cancer Day,” Nwokwu stated.
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