Cancer Society urges NASS to approveN25bn for transition of Nat’l Cancer Health to Health Insurance Fund
The Nigerian Cancer Society, NCS, has called on the National Assembly to appropriate N25 billion for the transition of the National Cancer Health to a Catastrophic Health Insurance Fund.
Furthermore, NCS implored the National Assembly and the Federal Government to appropriate additional funds to close N97.2 billion funding gag in the National Oncology Initiative.
On the other hand, the organisation appealed to President Bola Tinubu to immediately intervene by deploying possible measures to stop the growing migration of Nigerian medical practitioners outside the country.
Addressing the media, Friday, in Abuja in commemoration of the 2025 World Cancer Day, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Prof. Abidemi Emmanuel Omonisi, expressed great worry that Nigeria is already undergoing a catastrophic Human Resource for Health (HRH) crises due to the current rate of migration of health workers to overseas.
“We observe that, the current brain drain was attributed but not limited to poor remuneration, poor infrastructure, insecurity, low standard of living and inadequate funding for the healthcare system. This has led to migration of radiation and clinical oncologists, pathologists, oncology nursing and other categories of health workers .
“The ideal ratio of a radiation and clinical oncologist to cancer patients is ratio 1: 250 – 500 but the ratio of the radiation and clinical oncologist to cancer patients in Nigeria is presently ratio 1: 1,800 according to the current statistics from the Association of Radiation and Clinical Oncologists of Nigeria (ARCON) who is a corporate member of the Nigerian Cancer Society.
“This accounted for the increasing long queue observed in all our oncology clinics in the country.
“I wish to specially appeal to the President and Commander In-Chief of the Federal Government of Nigeria to address the “ push and pull ‘’ factors responsible for the exodus of skilled health workers from the country, ” he said.
According to him,”The NCS regrettably notes that cancer treatment is very expensive and beyond the capability of most patients in Nigeria, that largely rely on out-of- pocket expenses for the treatment.”
The group encouraged Nigerians to take enrollment into the National Health Insurance Authority,NHIA, more seriously “as reliance on out-of- pocket funding by most patients is frustrating. “
“Although, we are very grateful to the Federal Government of Nigeria, and we sincerely appreciate the role played by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in establishing the National Cancer Health Fund ( NCHF), ” it said.
NCS said the provision in the proposed 2025 national budget for the Cancer Health Fund will cover no more than 22 patients in the entire country.
“We are seriously pleading for the sake of indigents cancer patients in Nigeria which constituted more than seventy percent of people living with cancer in Nigeria that more funds should be allocated to the NCHF in the 2025 budget, ” Prof. Omonisi said.
He solited donations from well-meaning Nigerians, banks, organized private sector, philanthropists, government agencies and multinational organizations to support the various activities of the Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS).
“The Nigerian Cancer Society is a non-profit organization that is dependent on payment of dues from her members, and donations.
“Our society since her establishment on 12th October, 1968 (over 56 years in existence) has been actively
involved in assisting both Federal and State Governments in the formation of policies on cancer prevention and control.
” Our society has been actively involved in cancer awareness and screening all over the country but yet, it is very shameful that, the Nigerian Cancer Society has no place anywhere in Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory, where we can point to as our National Secretariat.
“We are currently being accommodated by the African Health Budget Network. We also have no operating vehicles. We will appreciate the interventions of well-meaning Nigerians, the organized private sector, multinational organizations , states and federal government agencies in helping to address these needs, “he begged.
Prof. Omonisi commended the Federal Ministry of Health for directing all cancer centres and all health institutions where cancer patients are managed to have a Multi-disciplinary Team (MDT).
“The NCS implored the Federal Ministry of Health to follow up her earlier directive on MDT and ensure total compliance, ” he added.
