One Nigerian is dying of cancer every seven minutes, and about 193 patients are lost to the ailment every 24 hours, Prof Sunday Ene-Ojo Atawodi has said.

Prof Atawodi, a biochemistry don at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, also said cancer was fast killing Nigerians because facilities for treating the disease were grossly inadequate in hospitals across the country.

The biochemistry expert, who spoke with journalists on the sideline of the Nigerian Academy of Science’s public lecture and induction of new fellows in Abuja Thursday, said virtually every home in the country has a cancer sufferer and rate is increasing by the day.

“It is serious: in every seven minutes, one Nigerian is dying of cancer. The case is made worst with inadequate facilities across our hospitals,” he said.

He said though most cancers are preventive and curable, many Nigerians only go for treatment when they have done much havoc in their bodies.

Earlier in a lecture titled ‘Cancer: Keeping the monster at bay’ which he delivered during the programme, Prof Atawodi quoted a World Health organisation report as saying there were about 19.3 million new cases of cancer in 2015.

According to him, the WHO report shows that 8.2m cancer deaths were recorded globally in 2012, and these will increase further by 2025.

The don who lamented the low cancer awareness in the country called for legislation that would make cancer treatment more accessible and available to the citizens.

“In general, we are not very good in preventive measures. Because of the high cost of treating cancer in Nigeria, the government should subsidise cancer treatment.

“Also, the necessary policies to ensure all necessary facilities for treatment of cancer should be put in place. The facilities for radiotherapy are not efficient in the health institutions.

“There is a recommendation by WHO that there should be one radio therapy machine for every 1 million people. Meaning that we need about 180 of the machine for the 180 million population we have in Nigeria but we actually have only 8 only and out of these 8, only one is functional, which is unacceptable,” he stated. (Daily Trust)

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