Chioma Umeha
Prof. Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health,
during the weekend disclosed plans by the Federal government to duplicate the
new state-of–the-art Cancer Center at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital
(LUTH) across other zones of the country.
DAILY INDEPENDENT learnt that the LUTH’s world-
class Cancer centre which has capacity to offer chemotherapy, radiation and
surgery as most cancer cases are always presented late is billed to commence
operation in the first quarter of 2019.
Meanwhile, Adewole who was on an assessment tour
of the facility in Lagos said 4,000 out of the 10,000 Primary Health Care
Centers the government promised to regenerate have been delivered.
Speaking shortly after the tour, Adewole explained
that government invested in the Center to make certain more Nigerians have access
to cancer treatment in the country for better outcome.
“We noticed that treatment is beyond the
modalities that we offer. Our ambition
is to reproduce it outside the country.
“Three modalities for cancer treatment are;
chemotherapy, radiation and surgery because most cancer cases are always
presented late.”
He said increasing awareness of cancer treatment
would bring about early detection and treatment as well as lessen late
presentation of cancer cases.
“LUTH has a first class of Biomedical Centre which
they plan to support other Centers. I know LUTH will manage the machine
properly which means abandoned and broken equipment will be a thing of the
past. There will also be long-term maintenance contract that will enable us
manage the cancer machine.”
“The cancer treatment Center is almost ready, by
February it will start operation fully for the benefit of the patients,” he
added.
He said; “We will also be partnering with the
state governments by making sure states provide infrastructure while the Federal
government provides money to maintain the center.
“We are also moving ahead by producing adequate
doctors in all health facilities, retain our health professionals by providing
necessary equipment, funds and also attract many doctors back to Nigeria.”
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