Hassy’s Haven Foundation has tasked the federal government to declare state of emergency on cancer in Nigeria, while calling for a treatment center in the North-west zone to ease the challenges faced by patients in accessing healthcare.
Founder, Hassy’s Haven Foundation, Husseina Mohammed Yakubu, who made this known on Saturday in Kaduna during the official launch of the Foundation, in honour of her twin sister and former NAN Kaduna reporter, Hassana Mohammed Yakubu, who died late last year, said there is need for aggressive awareness campaign on cancer across the country, to guide cancer patients on how to avoid treat or manage cancer.
She said, “According to the National Cancer Control Plan (2018-2022), cancer is responsible for 72,000 deaths in Nigeria every year, with an estimated 102,000 new cases of cancer every year most of these deaths occur due to late detection and obviously the cost of treatment within and outside the country. Our late sister, daughter and colleague in the media, Miss Hassana Mohammed Yakubu, was among Nigerians who gave in to cancer after demonstrating uncommon resilience for a few years after proper diagnosis and available treatment.
“Hassy’s Haven Foundation is a foundation unveiled and launched a few hours ago with the aim of raising awareness about cancer, its prevention and available support services among others. Findings have shown that the statistics of Nigerians down with cancer and in dire need of treatment are far more than available treatment centres and equipment especially in the northwestern part of the country.
“Findings have also shown that the vast majority of the cancer patients in the country cannot afford the available treatment within and outside the country because most of the cancer relief drugs and chemotherapy are far beyond their reach. We are lending our voices to other Nigerians, calling on the federal and state government to declare a state of emergency on cancer in Nigeria. We saw the success recorded in the HIV/AIDS when it was made a top priority some decades ago.
“Again, we are calling on the governors of northwestern states of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Zamfara, Jigawa and Sokoto, to immediately come together and equip the secondary and tertiary hospitals in the zone with cancer treatment equipment to reduce the nightmare of traveling far distance for chemotherapy.
“Government at all levels must activate relevant agencies saddled with educating Nigerians on the matters of national importance to swing into action in terms of aggressive cancer awareness campaign because prevention and early discovery will save a lot of lives. As it is presently, Nigeria is not doing enough of education about cancer. A lot of cancer can be treated if detected correctly early particularly cancer that afflicts women like cervical cancer, breast cancer among others. We also have cancers that affect men and children.
“On our part, we are going to be doing a lot around awareness campaign and give emotional support to those passing through cancer and their families. To this end, we are calling on the well-to-do Nigerians and other nationals within and outside the shores of the country to support this foundation even if it means getting the machines available in the Northwest to ease the pains of traveling far distance for treatment.
“We sincerely thank all our guests including government officials, traditional leaders, media bigwigs, civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, family and well-wishers, who honoured our invitation with their presence, gifts and moral support which led to the success of the unveiling and launch of Hassy’s Haven Foundation,” the founder said.
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