As the world marks this year’s Cancer Day, Wife of Benue State Governor, Mrs Eunice Ortom, has appealed to government, groups and well meaning Nigerians to support funding and other activities and programmes towards combating challenges of the deadly disease.
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Mrs Ortom who stated this on Friday, at Community Secondary School Apir during an event to mark World Cancer Day in Makurdi, expressed pains that too many women and children in Nigeria die of various forms of cancer every year.
She said there are gaps in access to cancer services caused by inadequate medical equipment and consumables, late presentation to hospital, poor access and response to information on available services.
While quoting the World Health Organisation, WHO, figure which states that 78,000 Nigerians die of various forms of cancer every year with nearly 124, 000 new cases reported annually, Mrs Ortom further noted that women and girls constitute more than half percent of cancer patients, cancer deaths, and new cases.
“It is for these reasons that I call on all public leaders, spirited persons and stakeholders in public health to close ranks by taking deliberate, concerted actions to prioritise investments in health and increasing funding for optimal cancer diagnosis, treatment and care”.
She also appealed to members of the public to get knowledge on cancer by accessing information from health facilities saying “Everyone’s life matters, we all must take action to close the gap in cancer care today.”
