Reps want establishment of cancer treatment centres in teaching hospitals

*** seek free treatment for patients

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Health Services to ensure the Federal Ministry of Health directs all Teaching Hospitals to immediately establish cancer treatment centres and also commence free treatment of cancer patients.
The House also urged the Committee to mandate the Federal Ministry of Finance and Budget Office of the Federation to appropriate funds to achieve this aim.
It urged the Committee as well as the Legislative Compliance Committee to ensure compliance to the directive.
These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent importance titled, “Motion on the Urgent Need for Free Cancer Treatment in Nigeria” moved by Hon Yusuf Ahmad Badau.
The House noted that the devastation caused by cancer and the rising number of patients in Nigeria is very alarming and urgent steps are needed to cushion the effect on affected persons.
It also noted that the disease has recorded unprecedented cases of deaths in recent times due to lack of government intervention in cancer treatment.
This, it said, results to difficulties being experienced by many affected persons in meeting the financial obligation of the treatment.
The House said it was aware that the majority of the affected persons are low income earners mostly in rural communities where there is no or little funds, lack of awareness on prevention and managing cancer.
The House said it was also aware that there is urgent need for government to provide the legal framework to ensure free treatment of cancer in all Teaching Hospitals so as to eradicate or reduce the high rate of death caused by cancer disease in Nigeria.