Givingtide International

Blog

  • World Cancer Day 2023: Bridge The Chasm

    World Cancer Day 2023: Bridge The Chasm

    February 4 is marked annually as World Cancer Day (WCD) to promote awareness on cancer as a public health issue and to strengthen actions towards improving access to quality cancer care, including: screening, early detection, treatment and palliative care.

    Cancer is indeed, a public health issue of major concern, given the very grim numbers. Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, representing nearly 1 in 6 deaths globally. According to WHO, 10 million people die each year from cancer; more than HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. By 2030, it is projected that cancer deaths will rise to 13 million, if we don’t act to close the care gap.

    Cancer is a major cause of geographic, racial, social and gender inequality. About 70% of cancer deaths occur in developing nations like Nigeria due to lack of access to basic cancer care infrastructure by many. In Africa, about 1.1 million new cancer cases occur each year, with about 700,000 deaths. Without urgent and bold interventions, there will be a considerable increase in cancer mortality in Africa, to nearly a million deaths per year by 2030. In sub-Saharan Africa, childhood cancer occurs in 56 out of every million persons and it is projected that Africa will account for about half of the total global childhood cancer burden by 2050.

    Nigeria has an estimated 124,815 new cases and 78,899 cancer deaths, yearly. The most common cancers in adult Nigerians include breast (22.7 %), prostate (12.3 %), cervical (9.7%), Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (5.9 %), and liver (4.2%) cancers, contributing to more than half of the new cancer cases.

    2023 is the second year of the “close the care gap” campaign, which is about understanding the inequities in cancer care and taking action to make the necessary progress to address them. It is an opportunity to examine the socioeconomic factors that lead to disparities in cancer prevention, incidence and survival, such as cultural and gender norms, income and education levels, and biases based on age, gender, ethnicity, disability and lifestyle.

    In Africa, the major obstacles in the care gap include: the low availability of Population-Based Cancer Registries; limited health promotion; inadequate access to primary prevention and early detection services; the scarcity of diagnostic and therapeutic facilities that increase delays in diagnosis and treatment. Provision of palliative care is rare in Africa, in spite of the significant need for it. Africa has only 3% of the world’s cancer treatment facilities, with radiotherapy available in just 22 sub-Saharan African nations, contributing to very low survival rates.

    By uniting voices and action, we can address cancer at individual and community levels: Choosing healthy lifestyles, getting vaccinated and routine screening against preventable cancers. Above all, there is an urgent need for everyone to unite in support of the effort to establish world-class infrastructure for cancer care and training for the cancer workforce, which is accessible to all, irrespective of their financial status.

    A Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC) is the only institution that can optimally tackle all the spectrums of cancer carer. The CCC is NOT a hospital with a radiotherapy machine. Rather, it is a world-class, stand-alone tertiary health institution, with all its units focused solely on cancer care. The CCC houses first-class cancer research, preventive, curative and palliative care in one place resulting in better outcomes across a range of measures – including, most importantly, cancer survival.

    In this regard, most nations are far ahead of Nigeria. For instance, India has over 200 CCC – most of which are philanthropy-funded non-profits. African nations that have CCC include Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Kenya and Sudan. Nigeria has no CCC. No, not one. Therefore, while other nations are in a position to work towards “closing the care gap” our herculean task here in Nigeria amounts to bridging an ever-widening chasm in cancer care.

    Nigerians now spend over one billion dollars on foreign treatment annually, an amount sufficient to establish twenty (20) CCC every year. Unfortunately, most Nigerians who go abroad for treatment end up dying because of late diagnosis and delay in intervention. Moreover, unforeseen situations (such as the COVID-19 lockdown) may make it impossible to go on medical tourism, even if one could afford it.

    ↓↑GivingTide uses the opportunity of this year’s WCD to once again call on everyone, collectively and individually, to commit to the effort towards closing the cancer care gap by supporting the BIG WAR Against Cancer.

    ↓↑GivingTide is an initiative to promote concerted and catalytic philanthropy. To this end, ↓↑GivingTide has established the ↓↑GivingTide Global Trust, which is managed by FBNQuest Trustees, a subsidiary of FBN holdings. Its current focal cause is the BIG WAR Against Cancer, which is operated by the National Cancer Prevention Programme (NCPP), a nongovernmental initiative of mass medical mission. Since 2007, NCPP has spearheaded community-based cancer prevention across Nigeria.

    In 2017, a fleet of Mobile Cancer Centres (MCC) was acquired and deployed, to great effect. To further bridge the chasm, the stable Health Initiative (a FREE annual cancer/health screening coupled with a free emergency ambulance service) was launched on World Health Day 2022. Interested participants are invited to take advantage of this initiative by registering via care@awb.health.  

    The ultimate goal of the project is to establish Nigeria’s first CCC. If one in seven Nigerians donated only n1,000 (one thousand naira) each to the ↓↑GivingTide Trust, Nigeria’s first ccc would be ready within seven months. Therefore, there is no reason for the chasm in cancer care. Together, it is possible!

    Let’s ACT! (Attack Cancer Today! Attack Cancer Together!! Attack Cancer Totally).

    Dr. Abia Nzelu (Executive Secretary, ↓↑GivingTide International); can be reached via info@givingtide.org

  • Inauguration of the Stable Health Initiative on World Health Day 2022

    Inauguration of the Stable Health Initiative on World Health Day 2022

    7 April is World Health Day (WHD). It is celebrated annually, to draw attention to health issues of concern to people all over the world. The day is observed in every nation of the world, under the auspices of the United Nations (UN). The theme for 2022 is “Our planet, our health.”

    This year’s World Health Day (WHD) aims to focus global attention on urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on well-being.   

    This year’s theme is a call on all to reimagine a world where clean air, water and food are available to all; where economies are focused on health and well-being and where cities are liveable and people have control over their health and the health of the planet!

    According to WHO, while the COVID-19 pandemic showed us the healing power of science, it also highlighted the inequities in our world. The pandemic has revealed weaknesses in all areas of society and underlined the urgency of creating sustainable well-being societies committed to achieving equitable health now and for future generations without breaching ecological limits. The present design of the economy leads to inequitable distribution of income, wealth and power, with too many people still living in poverty and instability. A well-being economy has human well-being, equity and ecological sustainability as its goals.

    In line with the goals of the UN, ↓↑GivingTide International (↓↑G) and mass medical mission (m3) inaugurated the STABLE HEALTH INITIATIVE IN NIGERIA to mark the World Health Day. This involves the incorporation of a FREE AMBULANCE SYSTEM into a FREE SYSTEMATIC ANNUAL HEALTH SCREENING. This initiative is the first of its kind and the free ambulance system is known as “Ambulance Without Borders”.   

    The importance of this initiative in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. According to the World Population Review (https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/life-expectancy), Nigeria currently has the 4th lowest life expectancy in the world. Nigerians live about 10 years less than Ghanaians, 20 years less than Indians and 30 years less than Singaporeans.

    Lagos (Nigeria’s economic capital) is ranked as the least liveable city in Africa and the second least liveable city in the world, according to the 2021 ranking of cities by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Healthcare infrastructure is a major criterion used in the ranking. The STABLE HEALTH INITIATIVE aims to complement the effort of government in addressing this current sad situation.

    The unique feature of the Stable Health Initiative is the combination of preventive and emergency coverage for all the registered beneficiaries (registrants). Registrants would have access to the following vital services:

    • FREE HEALTH EDUCATION
    • FREE ANNUAL CANCER / GENERAL HEALTH SCREENING
    • FREE EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICE

    To sustain these free services,↓↑GivingTide aims to go beyond the conventional assumption that health infrastructure can be funded only by government budget or private investment, to further the 80/20 strategy of united and concerted philanthropy for the common good, since the current conventional system of funding health care has failed the common man and made healthcare to be out of his reach.

    The 80/20 strategy empowers the social sector to complement the efforts of governments through the establishment of world-standard institutions of care that are available to all strata of society. The steering committee of ↓↑G is known as the Committee Encouraging Concerted Philanthropy (CECP).

    The current Focal Cause of ↓↑GivingTide is the BIG WAR Against Cancer.The BIG WAR is operated by the National Cancer Prevention Programme (NCPP), an initiative of mass medical mission.

    NCPP has led community-based cancer prevention in Nigeria, since 2007. In 2017, a fleet of Mobile Cancer Centres (MCC) was deployed, to great effect. The project is now at the phase of establishing Nigeria’s first Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC). The CCC would be the first world class institution in Nigeria accessible to all social strata, since it would provide free service to those who need it most.

    The stable health initiative is being inaugurated to anticipate and complement the impact of the proposed CCC. The free emergency ambulance service would ameliorate the burden of acute emergencies, now compounded by COVID- 19. Eventually, the ambulance system would be integrated into the Critical Care Centre/System of the proposed CCC.

    Registration of beneficiaries of the Stable Health Initiative will commence on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2022. The target is to deploy one free ambulance for every 100,000 people (WHO recommendation), in underserved regions of the world, with Nigeria as its take-off location. Registration is free and open to all persons without discrimination. Interested individuals can send their name, GSM number, address and date of birth to register@awb.health.

    Pre-registration will help to ensure a more efficient and seamless operation of the AWB and promote health maintenance culture among Nigerians. Pre-registration would help the AWB team to get to know the registrant prior to an emergency, whilst encouraging the registrant to take advantage of the complimentary preventive health services of the Stable Health Initiative. Partaking in preventive healthcare would reduce the chances of having an emergency in the first place.

    Over the coming months, the Committee Encouraging Concerted Philanthropy (CECP) will be trying to get as many people as possible to register for and benefit from this initiative. This shall be done by means of special Tuesdays known as GoodTuesdays or GivingTuesdays.

    TIME-LINE & REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR THE STABLE HEALTH INITIATIVE

    DATESIGNIFICANCEACTIVITY
    APRIL 7, 2022WORLD HEALTH DAY (A UNITED NATIONS OBSERVANCE)INAUGURATION    
    JUNE 5, 2022INTERNATIONAL CANCER SURVIVORS’ DAY (= FIRST SUNDAY IN JUNE)KICK-OFF OF FREE HEALTH/CANCER SCREENING FOR REGISTRANTS    
    AUGUST 20, 2022INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MEDICAL TRANSPORTERS (A UNITED NATIONS OBSERVANCE)COMMENCEMENT OF FREE AMBULANCE SYSTEM IN LAGOS STATE    

    *REGISTRATION:

    • REGISTRATION BEGINS ON APRIL 13, 2022 AND CONTINUES THEREAFTER
    • TO REGISTER, SIMPLY SEND YOUR NAME, GSM No., ADDRESS, GENDER & DATE OF BIRTH TO REGISTER@AWB.HEALTH
    • YOU CAN REGISTER FOR OTHERS (NO LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE)
    • NO ONE IS TOO OLD OR TOO YOUNG TO REGISTER
    • PLEASE, DO NOT REGISTER YOURSELF OR ANY PERSON MORE THAN ONCE
    • REGISTRATION IS A CONTINUOUS EXERCISE (24/7)
    • AFTER YOU REGISTER, YOU WILL BE INVITED FOR YOUR FIRST FREE HEALTH CHECK. SUBSEQUENTLY, YOU WILL BE RE-INVITED FOR FREE SCREENING ANNUALLY, TO COINCIDE WITH YOUR BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY.
    • AT YOUR FIRST FREE HEALTH CHEEK, YOU WILL BE ENROLLED FOR THE FREE AMBULANCE SERVICE.
    • REGISTRATION AND ALL SERVICES ARE TOTALLY FREE OF CHARGE.

    Together, we can!

  • National Cancer Survivors’ Day 2021: Honouring the Fallen and Safeguarding the Living

    National Cancer Survivors’ Day 2021: Honouring the Fallen and Safeguarding the Living

    “Where you live should not determine whether you live or whether you die” – Bono

    National Cancer Survivors’ Day (NCSD; the first Sunday in June) falls on Sunday, June 6 in 2021.  A cancer survivor is a person who has a history of cancer, from the time of diagnosis through the remainder of life.There are currently more than 50 million people living within five years of a past cancer diagnosis worldwide (up from 43.8 million in 2018) with over 230,000 of them in Nigeria. NCSD is an important opportunity to address the disparity in cancer survivorship, honour the fallen warriors (those who have succumbed to cancer) whilst raising awareness on the ongoing challenges currently facing cancer survivors.

    Cancer cuts short lives, hopes, dreams, careers and destinies, leaving behind gaping holes in the hearts of families, friends, and communities. Recently, Nigeria lost two renowned Curators to cancer in two consecutive months – Olabisi Obafunke Silva (Curator of the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) in Lagos and younger sister of the veteran actress Joke Silva) who died from breast cancer at the age of 56 years and Okwuchukwu Emmanuel Enwezor who died from colon cancer at the age of 55 years. Okwui Enwezor was ranked by the ArtReview as one of the 100 most powerful people of the art world. He was the first non-European artistic director of the Documenta 11 in Germany and the first African curator in the 120-year history of the Venice Biennale. His last major exhibition, “El Anatsui: Triumphant Scale,” co-curated with Chika Okeke-Agulu, opened on March 8, 2019 at the Haus der Kunst, Munich, before it opened at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art on September 30, 2019.

    Incidentally, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma (the former Director of Ford Foundation in West Africa) was the arrowhead of an initiative to honour Enwezor’s historic achievements. However, cancer struck yet again and cut short the illustrious life of Mr. Chukwuma who (like Enwezor) died at the age of 55 years. Innocent’s diagnosis of blood cancer was so late that he died just a few hours after the diagnosis, giving no opportunity for any form of intervention. A few months before Mr. Chukwuma’s transition, the same blood cancer cut short the life of Chisom Chukwuneke, the beautiful and brilliant 17 year old girl who made 7 A1s in the 2019 WASSCE. While I was penning down this article, yet another piece of sad news filtered in – Ify Onwuemene, the talented Nollywood actress –had succumbed toendometrial cancer, after spending over 10 million naira on treatment, part of which was raised through crowdfunding.

    These highlighted cases are the tip of the iceberg of avoidable cancer deaths in Nigeria. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every day, Nigeria loses over 200 precious lives to cancer, most of whom are unknown and unsung, but who are as precious as those whose deaths are well-known.

    Cancer remains a major cause of geographic, racial, social and gender inequality and injustice. It is an important barrier to increasing life expectancy in every country of the world. Therefore, Nigeria’s low life expectancy (currently the global seventh lowest) will not improve, unless we tackle Cancer. According to WHO estimates, in 2019, cancer was the first or second leading cause of death before the age of 70 years in 112 of 183 countries. The increasing prominence of Cancer as a leading cause of death partly reflects marked decline in mortality rates of cardiovascular diseases, relative to cancer.

    The WHO data shows that worldwide, there were 19.3 million new cancer cases in 2020 (up from 18.1 million in 2018), with over 120,000 new cases in Nigeria alone. There were 10 million global Cancer deaths in 2020, with 70% of the deaths occurring in developing nations like Nigeria. Furthermore, it is projected that the global cancer burden would rise to 28.4 million in 2040, a 47% rise from 2020, with a larger increase in developing nations (64% to 95%). The higher Cancer death in developing nations is a result of the dearth of infrastructure for cancer care. Non-Resident Nigerians (“the diaspora”) are not spared, because even in developed nations, cancer kills more blacks than other races.

    In his 2021 Cancer Survivors’ Day message, Dr Ned Sharpless, the Director of the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), stated that “We can’t leave huge portions of society behind and expect meaningful progress. The bottom line is that we want fewer cancer diagnoses and more … survivors.” According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), efforts to build a sustainable infrastructure for cancer prevention and care in developing countries are critical for global cancer control.

    A crucial way of improving cancer survivorship of Nigerians is for every Nigerian to unite in supporting the BIG War Against Cancer, and specifically the drive to establish Nigeria’s first Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC), a campaign championed by ↓↑GivingTide International.  By addressing the cause of their death, the CCC will also honour the memory of those who have died from cancer. A CCC is NOT merely a hospital which has a radiotherapy machine. Rather, a CCC is a world-class, stand-alone tertiary health institution, with all its departments focused exclusively on cancer care. The CCC is the only institution that is optimally equipped to tackle all stages and types of cancer. By housing first-class cancer research, preventive, curative and palliative care in one place, the CCC leads to better outcomes across a range of measures – including, most importantly, cancer survival.

    Sadly, India has over 200 CCC (mostly non-governmental/nonprofit), Nigeria has none. Consequently, Nigerians spend over one billion dollars on foreign treatment annually, an amount sufficient to establish 20 CCC in Nigeria every year! Tragically, those who seek care abroad often die from late intervention. Moreover, the COVID-related global lockdown has shown that medical tourism may not always be available, even if one could afford it. The worst affected are poor Cancer victims who can afford neither local nor foreign treatment.

    Whilst Africa’s most populous nation (“the giant”) has no CCC, some countries in the continent which have Comprehensive Cancer Centres include South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, among others. A recent sad example of our reliance on medical tourism was the case of Senator Aisha Al-Hassan (Mama Taraba), who died in Egypt from an undisclosed illness. It is noteworthy that Egypt, with a population of 82 million, has a National Cancer Institute (NCI), several CCC & mobile units. Egypt also has the world’s largest stand-alone children cancer hospital – Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt (CCHE). The CCHE was spearheaded by a paediatric oncologist who lost 13 of the 16 paediatric cancer patients under her care, in one day. The CCHE was built solely by donation and is sustained entirely by donation. All children who present at the CCHE are treated free irrespective of their race, creed or class. The CCHE now has a survival rate of over 90% for Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia, the same cancer that killed Chisom Chukwuneke.

    On National Cancer Survivors Day, the whole world stands with all cancer survivors. ↓↑GivingTide International hereby calls on all Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to stand with those currently battling cancer, by supporting the establishment of our nation’s first Comprehensive Cancer Centre. ↓↑GivingTide is an initiative to promote concerted and catalytic philanthropy. The ↓↑GivingTide Global Trust is managed by FBNQuest Trustees, a subsidiary of FBN holdings.

    The current focal cause of ↓↑GivingTide is the BIG WAR Against Cancer which is operated by the National Cancer Prevention programme (NCPP), a nongovernmental initiative of mass medical mission. NCPP has been spearheading community-based cancer prevention since 2007 which was scaled up in 2017 through the acquisition and deployment of a fleet of Mobile Cancer Centres to great effect. The project is now at the phase of establishing the first Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Nigeria.

    Together, we can establish Nigeria’s first CCC in record time, which would help to stem the carnage caused by preventable and treatable Cancers. This would truly honour the memory of our beloved compatriots and preserve the lives of generations unborn. Nigerians deserve to survive cancer irrespective of where they live!

  • Global ↓↑GOODTUESDAY: Protecting Our Children From Cancer Catastrophe

    Global ↓↑GOODTUESDAY: Protecting Our Children From Cancer Catastrophe

    A few days ago, I received the devastating news of the loss of Chisom Chukwuneke, a 17 years old gem to blood cancer (leukaemia). A combination of brain and beauty, Chisom left Secondary School with 7 ‘A1’ in the 2019 WASSCE. Because of the gross deficiency in the health system in Nigeria, Chisom’s treatment had to be transferred to South Africa where she eventually died. Shortly before Chisom, I received a distress call from the relative of another young leukaemia patient – an 8 year old girl.

    The family was informed that their daughter could access free but qualitative care at the Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt (CCHE) which is the largest paediatric cancer centre in the world. Alas, the family cannot afford the trip to Egypt!

    Indeed, every year, over 100,000 of such disturbing cancer stories occur in our country and it is projected to even get worse, all things being equal. According to WHO, there will be a 60% increase in cancer cases over the next two decades globally and the greatest increase (an estimated 81%) in new cases will occur in developing countries like Nigeria. This disproportionate increase is largely because the health services of the developing countries are not equipped to prevent, diagnose and treat cancers.

    The optimal infrastructure needed for cancer treatment is a Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC). A CCC is a world-class, stand-alone tertiary health institution, with all its departments focused on cancer care. Whilst India has over 200 CCC, Nigeria has none.

    Therefore, Nigerians who can afford it, resort to treatment abroad. This situation results in a colossal drain of Nigeria’s foreign reserve with an estimated one billion USD being spent on foreign treatment annually. Ironically, with this amount, we could establish 20 CCC every year in Nigeria, yet we don’t have one! The recent COVID-related global lockdown has shown that medical tourism may not always be available, even if one can afford it. 

    The earlier stated projection by WHO implies that our children will be ravaged by the cancer pandemic if we do not take decisive and proactive action to protect them against cancer. We can take inspiration from other countries that have changed the cancer situation for the good of generations yet unborn. The case of Ruth Ginsburg, the second female Justice of the US Supreme Court illustrates how the positive step we take today can transform the future for our children. 

    Ruth Ginsburg’s mother died from cervical cancer at the age of…

    Read more via the link below https://www.lagospostng.com

  • Nigeria at 60: Independent nation with no independent cancer care

    Nigeria at 60: Independent nation with no independent cancer care

    “Goodness is the only investment that never fails. Those who bring sunshine cannot keep it from themselves.”

      – Henry David Thoreau

    October 2020 is a landmark month for Nigeria, as the nation turns 60. However, the entire month of October is also the International Cancer Awareness Month with particular emphasis on breast cancer.

    Apart from being the Independence Day of Nigeria, October 1 is also the International Day for Older Persons. Sixty is the cutoff age for the WHO definition of “old”.

    If Nigeria were a person, she now qualifies to be called an “older person”. But has Nigeria grown in the wisdom and sense of responsibility that should come with age?

    Nigeria is a celebratory culture, which explains why it is the second fastest-growing champagne market, after France. Total consumption of champagne reached 752,879 bottles in 2011 and the nation spends over N41bn (£159m) on the drink annually.

    No doubt, many would want to “roll out the drums” to celebrate Nigeria’s diamond jubilee. However, if we use healthcare and life expectancy as a yardstick, Nigeria has nothing to celebrate.

    The country is growing old, but tragically, its citizens are dying young. Most Nigerians do not live up to 60. At 60, Nigeria (“the giant of Africa”) has the world’s seventh lowest life expectancy.

    Nigerian life expectancy is three years less than South Sudan (a new-born nation just coming out of 50 years of civil war), five years less than Togo, seven years less than Liberia, 10 years less than Congo, 15 years less than India, 18 years less than war-torn Libya and 30 years less than Singapore.

    It is instructive to note that Singapore gained independence five years after Nigeria, yet its life expectancy is three decades more than Nigeria. Singapore has attained the status of a developed nation, even though it is not endowed with natural resources, like Nigeria.

    This remarkable achievement is attributed to Singapore’s commitment to health and education. In a sad contrast, it was from these two vital areas that funds were slashed in the 2020 revised federal budget of Nigeria.

    Given Nigeria’s dismal health statistics, it is not surprising that in 2013, the Economist Intelligence Unit ranked the country as the worst place to be born in the whole world.

    Nigeria is at the bottom with respect to most health indices (highest maternal mortality, highest contributor to under five mortality in the sub-Saharan region,  highest number of malaria deaths, highest number of VVF, global epicentre of Schistosomiasis, highest mortality from diabetes, etc.).

    However, it is in the area of infrastructure for cancer care that the gap in Nigeria’s health infrastructure is most prominent, and the rest of this article will focus on how to bridge this gap.

    Non-Communicable Diseases are now responsible for over 70 per cent of global deaths each year, with cancer being a leading cause of death and the single most important barrier to increasing life expectancy in every country of the world in the 21st century.

    This means that Nigeria’s low life expectancy will not change, unless we tackle cancer seriously.

    Cancer is a pandemic, with 43.8 million people worldwide, currently living with cancer, and 9.6 million annual deaths from cancer. Seventy per cent of cancer deaths occur in developing countries, like Nigeria.

    Every day in Nigeria, 32 women die of breast cancer, 28 women die of cervical cancer, 16 men die daily from prostate cancer and 14 persons die of liver cancer.

    Most of these cancer deaths are often due to late detection and poor infrastructure. A Comprehensive Cancer Centre is a world-class, stand-alone tertiary health institution, with all departments focused on cancer care.

    The CCC is the optimal infrastructure needed for cancer treatment. India has over 200 CCC – most of which are philanthropy-funded non-profit institutions, Nigeria has none.

    Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Sudan are some African nations that have CCC. Egypt has several CCC, as well as the largest children cancer centre in the world. South Africa also has several CCC

    Nigerians now spend over $1bn on foreign treatment annually, an amount sufficient to establish 20 CCC every year. Unfortunately… Continue reading below

    https://punchng.com/nigeria-at-60-independent-nation-with-no-independent-cancer-care/

  • International Cancer Survivors Day 2020: COVID-19 As A Wake-Up Call

    International Cancer Survivors Day 2020: COVID-19 As A Wake-Up Call

    “Goodness is the only investment that never fails. Those who bring sunshine cannot keep it from themselves.” – Thor

    The first Sunday in June every year (Sunday, June 7 in 2020) is known as the International Cancer Survivors Day (ICSD). It is a day set aside to celebrate cancer survivors; appreciate all those who contributed to their survival (the ‘co-survivors’); honor the fallen warriors (those who have succumbed to cancer) whilst raising awareness on the ongoing challenges facing cancer survivors.

    A cancer survivor is a person who has a history of cancer, from the time of diagnosis through the remainder of life. There are currently 43.8 million cancer survivors worldwide. 

    THE BAD NEWS:  according to WHO, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are now responsible for over 70% of global deaths (killing 41 million people) each year, with cancer being a leading cause of death and the single most important barrier to increasing life expectancy in every country of the world in the 21stcentury. 

    The current COVID-19 pandemic has been unforgiving on people living with NCDs and has compounded the challenges faced by cancer survivors, who are at higher risk of severe COVID-19-related illness and death. Although this impact of COVID-19 is global, developing countries are worse hit.

    In Nigeria, COVID-19 poses a uniquely quadruple jeopardy for cancer patients – firstly, the increased susceptibility of cancer patients to COVID-19; secondly, the dearth of infrastructure for cancer care; thirdly, restriction on medical tourism due to the lockdown; and finally, the diversion of scarce resources towards addressing the COVID-19 crisis. 

    THE GOOD NEWS (WHO): one-third of cancer is preventable, another one-third is curable and the last third of cancer patients can have good quality of life with appropriate care. Furthermore, some progress has been achieved in the BIG WAR Against Cancer in Nigeria.

    The BIG WAR is operated by the National Cancer Prevention Programme (NCPP), an initiative of mass medical mission. In 2007, NCPP pioneered community mass cancer screening in Nigeria.

    This relentless campaign has contributed to a reduction in Nigeria’s cancer mortality, from 240 deaths daily to 193 deaths daily between 2008 and 2018; with an improvement of cancer mortality from 4 in 5 to 2 in 3 (WHO data).   

    To scale up this progress, a system of preventive health care has been set up using Mobile Cancer Centres (a.k.a. the PinkCruise).

    The PinkCruise is complemented by other mobile units, viz: mobile eye unit (aka PinkVISSION where “VISSION” stands for Voluntary Integrated Sight Saving Initiative of Nigeria) and mobile dental unit (aka PinkDentist). These mobile units are deployed for free health campaigns, targeted mainly at the under-privileged. 

    The fund-raising aspect of the BIG WAR is undertaken by ↑↓GivingTide International, an initiative for promoting concerted philanthropy. There is an urgent need to consolidate on the strides already gained in the BIG War, by establishing Comprehensive Cancer Centres (CCC) in Nigeria.

    A CCC is a tertiary health institution, with all departments focused on cancer care. It is a source of great sadness and shame that while India has over 200 CCC (most of which are philanthropy-funded non-profit institutions), Nigeria has none.

    Consequently, Nigerians now spend over one billion dollars on foreign treatment annually, an amount sufficient to establish twenty (20) CCC every year.

    Unfortunately, most Nigerians who go abroad for treatment end up dying often because of late diagnosis and delay in intervention. Moreover, unforeseen situations (such as the COVID-19 lockdown) may make it impossible to go on medical tourism, even if one could afford it. This dependence on foreign treatment is unsustainable and has to stop.

    Tragically, in spite of this glaring deficiency in the healthcare infrastructure, Nigeria’s 2020 budget has been revised, with a cut in health budget by 42.6%.

    This is in sharp contrast to what obtains in several other countries where the health budgets have been increased, to integrate NCD services into their national COVID-19 plans.

    International Cancer Survivors Day is an opportunity to rally support for the establishment of world-class infrastructure for optimal cancer care.

    We should take a cue from the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic which has proven that keeping the citizens healthy from preventable NCDs is not simply about a choice to invest in health, but an investment in a country´s economic stability and security, and is an indicator of pandemic preparedness in the future. 

    This was emphasized at the 73rd World Health Assembly, in May, 2020. According to Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, “It’s vital that countries find innovative ways to ensure that essential services for NCDs continue, even as they fight COVID-19.

    We must be ready to “build back better”  ̶  strengthening health services so that they are better equipped to prevent, diagnose and provide care for NCDs in the future, in any circumstances.”

    In line with this clarion call, we must all unite in spite of the COVID-19 crisis, to escalate the reach of the existing mobile preventive health system and to establish Nigeria’s first Comprehensive Cancer Centre. 

    There are various role models around the world from whom we could take inspiration. For example, Sir Dorab Tata (Chairman, Tata Group) established India’s first CCC in 1941.

    His attention was drawn to the problem by the experience of his wife, Lady Meherbai Tata who had blood cancer, for which she was treated in England. Tata determined to establish similar facilities in India. Today, the Tata Centre treats 70% of its patients free of charge. 

    Another role model is Mrs. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the main sponsor of one of the largest CCC world-wide which was opened in 2009. The Mazumdar Shaw Cancer Centre (MSCC), Bangalore, named in her honour cost $150 million.

    It is the fourth cancer centre in Bangalore, a city of 8 million people. Mrs. Mazumdar-Shaw was motivated by the experience of her husband – John Shaw, who was diagnosed of renal cell carcinoma in 2007 and her best friend who died of breast cancer.

    The MSCC treats poor patients for free in the evenings, so they could continue to work and care for their families during the day. Mrs. Mazumdar-Shaw’s mother was later treated for cancer at the MSCC. 

    On International Cancer Survivors Day, the whole world stands with all cancer survivors. ↑↓GivingTide International hereby calls on all Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to stand with our compatriots who are cancer survivors, by supporting the drive to establish our nation’s first Comprehensive Cancer Centre.  

  • COVID-19 and cancer: Nigeria’s unique quadruple jeopardy

    COVID-19 and cancer: Nigeria’s unique quadruple jeopardy

    The COVID-19 pandemic has created several tragi-comic double jeopardies which are peculiar to Nigeria.

    The politician or elite who previously felt too “big” to attend local hospitals, but is now forced to either eat humble pie or die; the doctor whose job puts him at the greatest risk of contracting the virus and so cannot enjoy an “I told you so” moment to underline the irresponsibility of a government which chronically under-funds the health sector.

    The “pastor-preneur” who has invested heavily in a new church auditorium, but now has only his nuclear family as the sources of tithes and offering; and a government which must now provide welfare for a restless population under lockdown, in the face of plummeting oil prices.

    A few weeks ago, nobody could have imagined any of these scenarios. Nigeria’s most “versatile” prophets and future-tellers have been caught napping. Real life has become stranger than the most creative Nollywood plot.

    Don Jazzy, one of Nigerians foremost celebrities alluded to this unfortunate situation in his social media post reported on March 25, 2020, wherein he mocked, “Build hospitals build hospitals una no hear, now go abroad for treatment”.

    Patrick Okigbo also addressed this issue in his article of the same day, titled, “Nowhere to run: When wealth, made or stolen, provides no refuge”.

    However, in the case of Nigerian cancer patients, COVID-19 has put them not in a double jeopardy, but in a four-dimensional (quadruple) jeopardy.

    The virus responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified in China on the 30th of December 2019. The outbreak of Covid-19 soon became a pandemic and exactly a month ago (on the 27th of February), the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in Nigeria.

    This pandemic has rightly precipitated a series of remedial actions and reactions both globally and at all levels of society, given the contagious and acute nature of the disease. Thanks to the sustained media awareness and advocacy campaign!

    The pandemic took the whole world unawares such that the robust health infrastructures of even the most developed countries became overwhelmed. This has caused widespread fear of what will become of developing countries like Nigeria if they get hit with the magnitude of the infection currently seen in these advanced countries. At the moment almost all countries in the world are currently on lockdown.

    As at March 26, 2020, there were 468,577 cases of Covid-19 globally and 21,185 deaths with an overall mortality rate of 4.5 per cent. Most of these deaths occurred in the elderly and people with preexisting non-communicable diseases, especially cancer.

    In fact, in Italy, the country with the highest mortality, the earliest data showed that 20 per cent of patients who had died from Covid-19 were cancer patients.

    When Nigeria reported its first coronavirus-related death, which occurred on March 22, 2020 the casualty, was a cancer patient who had returned from the UK where he had gone for chemotherapy treatment… Continue Reading Below

    https://guardian.ng/features/covid-19-and-cancer-nigerias-unique-quadruple-jeopardy/