Usman Aliyu, the director-general of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), recently announced plans to establish a centralized national cancer registry and data plan in Nigeria. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Mr. Aliyu emphasized the importance of making cancer a notifiable disease and highlighted the crucial role of a national cancer registry in enhancing cancer prevention, treatment, and care.
The absence of a national cancer registry in Nigeria has hindered national planning efforts in combating the disease, primarily due to insufficient funding from both government and private health facilities. To address this issue, NICRAT is collaborating with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to train frontline health workers at primary healthcare centers on basic cancer screening techniques. This initiative aims to promote early detection, facilitate appropriate referrals, and establish a grassroots cancer registry.
Mr. Aliyu underscored the global challenge posed by the increasing incidence of cancer, particularly in Low-Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) like Nigeria, which face economic constraints. Citing statistics from the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN), he revealed that Nigeria recorded 127,763 new cancer cases and 79,542 deaths in 2022, with breast cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma being the most prevalent types.
Prevention was highlighted as the cornerstone of effective cancer care, with Mr. Aliyu emphasizing the importance of educating the public about cancer risk factors. He emphasized the need for improved awareness and documentation to prevent unnecessary deaths from cancer due to lack of knowledge.
Regarding the implementation of the Cancer Health Fund (CHF), Mr. Aliyu mentioned the establishment of a cancer health committee to address conceptual, operational, and logistical aspects of the fund. Stakeholder engagement in 2023 led to the refinement of the CHF model, focusing on enrollment, transparency, monitoring, and patient accessibility. Despite funding limitations, efforts are underway to enhance the visibility and inclusivity of the CHF, with the Federal Government allocating N200 million to the fund in the 2024 budget.
The NICRAT, established under the NICRAT Establishment Act 2017, serves as a national leader in cancer research, treatment, and control in Nigeria. As the country grapples with the growing burden of cancer, initiatives like the national cancer registry and the Cancer Health Fund are crucial steps towards improving cancer care and reducing the impact of this devastating disease.
