National Hospital Gets New Cancer Machine
In fulfillment of the promise to restore cancer treatment in eight public tertiary hospitals, wife of Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, commissioned the first cancer treatment unit at the National Hospital, Abuja.
A second machine is being expected for installation courtesy Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) at the cost of a million dollars.
Speaking at the event, Mrs. Osinbajo told the audience she looks forward to that very day Nigeria would be declared cancer free urging well-meaning Nigerian to partner with government in bringing succor to cancer patients in the country.
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Mrs Osinbajo expressed optimism that if individual Nigerians support government with donation of more cancer treatment machines, there will be hope for survival of more people.
Health Minister, Professor Isaac Adewole noted that cancer control is one of the signature programmes of the President Mohammadu Buhari’ s Administration and so would be investing in at least 8 new radiotherapy treatment centres and chemotherapy facilities across all geopolitical zones in 2018.
He regretted that currently, Nigeria losses about 10,000 patients to cancer yearly due to lack of standard Cancer treatment equipment
“I have also encouraged some state government to invest on both radiotherapy and chemotherapy so as to improve quality of care and survival of cancer patients” the Minister assured.
In his address, Chief Medical Director, Dr. Jeff Momoh, informed that the new ‘’LINAC’’ machine is the first of its kind in Nigeria and staff of the relevant departments had been trained on its use.
He added that the equipment had passed the necessary quality requirements with license for its use from relevant regulatory agencies including International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Dr. Momoh however appealed for more support from the Federal government and development partners so that the entire complex could be completed with other necessary equipment and relevant manpower to run it as a centre of excellence for cancer care.
