The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to introduce free cancer screening and significantly subsidize treatment costs for Nigerians battling the disease at any stage.
This resolution was reached following a motion presented and adopted during plenary on Wednesday.
The motion was sponsored by Mr. Aderemi Oseni, a lawmaker representing Ibarapa Central/Ido Federal Constituency in Oyo State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
While laying the motion before the House, Oseni described cancer as a pressing public health crisis in Nigeria, stressing that many citizens are unable to bear the financial burden of treatment.
He stated, “The scourge of cancer is fast spreading amongst Nigerians, with reports revealing that in 2020, about 125,000 people were diagnosed. The most common types are breast, prostate, and cervical cancer.”
The lawmaker raised alarm over the exorbitant costs associated with cancer care, explaining that treatment expenses could run into tens of millions of naira or even hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.
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These costs, he said, vary based on cancer type and stage, treatment options, location, and a patient’s individual health history.
“The House is also concerned that cancer patients in Nigeria face financial hardships due to the complex and expensive supply chain for cancer drugs and the limited availability of radiation therapy machines. This scarcity has left many with the belief that cancer is either an illness only the wealthy can survive or a death sentence,” Oseni said.
He further pointed out that the growing number of cancer cases is putting immense pressure on the limited funding allocated for cancer control.
He called for government-funded solutions, emphasizing the need for public financing to ensure long-term, fair access to cancer care for all.
Following the debate, the House, under the leadership of Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, directed its Committee on Healthcare Services to work in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and other relevant bodies.
The aim is to create a framework that would enable the government to subsidize cancer treatments and drugs.
Furthermore, lawmakers called for the creation of additional cancer care centers across the country and the procurement of more radiotherapy equipment.
They also recommended free and early screening initiatives to enhance early detection and improve survival rates among cancer patients.
