By Tony Obiechina, Abuja

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Muhammad Pate has described cancer as the fastest growing non-communicable disease in the country.The minister stated this at a two-day Oncology Summit organised by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) in collaboration with MEDSERVE with the theme: Enhancing the Oncology Workforce in Nigeria in Abuja yesterday.

He said, “We know that the fastest growing segment of our burden of disease is in the non-communicable disease arena, and cancers in particular, they are fast rising in our population and the efforts of this administration gets so aggressive. ”The minister noted that to this end the present administration has redoubled its efforts in tackling the scourge adding that “oncology is a legacy defining one for this administration”.According to him, “That’s why, almost 10 months ago, Mr. President and ourselves really latched onto NSIA to expand the infrastructure and equip the centers that will deliver oncological care for our country.“The six centers will not be enough. Adding to what NSIA has already done, there will need to be more for the centers by themselves.”Dr Pate pointed out that the summit is timely, and “is so aligned with the direction of this administration. And we have also realized some raised with us, the importance of research, because we realized that the importance of research is to discover new knowledge, to apply new technologies, to train others.”He commended the NSIA in particular and all the collaborators for the initiative which according to him, “is the road to playing our proper, destined role in helping in this all-important area of health and well-being.Also speaking, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun said it requires global collaboration to tackle the cancer disease.He stressed, “We have to come together, we cannot do it in silos. The rich world cannot do it alone and Nigeria, as the most populous black nation on earth, one in five black people is a Nigerian.“So we have a role to play at center stage. And I thank NSIA in particular and all the collaborators for putting us on what I believe is the road to playing our proper, destined role in helping in this all-important area of health and well-being.”The Managing Director of NSIA, Aminu Umar-Sadiq in his remarks said the theme of the summit is one of the major issues in oncology, as cancer is a growing health pandemic in Nigeria and other parts of the world, with the increasing number of cases each year.His words, “Nigeria has taken significant steps to improving cancer care, but we still have a lot of work to do.“Manpower strategy, insufficient training programs and gas infrastructure continues to hinder our ability to deliver a world class cancer care to our patients.”This summit is not just about identifying these challenges, but finding sustainable solutions to forging stronger collaboration to improve patient outcomes across the country.“As part of our commitment to this course, the NSIA has made tremendous strides in the field of oncology, notably through the establishment of the NSIA youth Cancer Center.“Since its inception, the NSIA youth Cancer Center has set a new benchmark for oncology care in Nigeria, offering treatment and state-of-the-art technology.“This world class facility has improved access to diagnostics and cancer care, providing 1000s of Nigerians with specialized treatments as a fraction of the price they will get support if they do it abroad.”NLCC stands as a testament to the transformative potential of public/private party partnerships in addressing healthcare challenges in our country.“However, the success of facilities like NLCC changes not just on advanced equipment but on the skilled professionals who are prepared.”Umar-Sadiq disclosed that NSIA has so far committed to spending $2 million to the training of healthcare professionals over the next few years.”We have actually started this program already in eight teaching hospitals across Nigeria.“We would move to do more. It is important to do more because the requirements for healthcare professionals and the scourge of cancer, Nigeria and the rest of the world need this to work efficiently.”