The Director General of National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Dr Usman Malami Aliyu, says the institute targets raising awareness, improving education, and catalyzing joint action to prevent cancer, as well as to support those affected by the disease.
The DG made this known on Thursday during the commemoration of World Cancer Day symposium organized by NICRAT in Abuja, with the theme “United by Unique.
Dr. Aliyu emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to create inclusive cancer solutions globally.
He added that since inception, NICRAT has initiated and sustained robust collaboration with local and international partners on training of the cancer workforce at all levels of care, research and contemporary preventive measures.
“The recent conduct of an imPACT review in – country mission to Nigeria in collaboration with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), is a testament of our commitment to control and improve cancer care in Nigeria.
“NICRAT has also organized the training and retraining of healthcare workers at primary, secondary and tertiary levels on cancer prevention, treatment, research and control.
“As at December 2024, over 1,200 healthcare workers across Nigeria benefited from these trainings and has also concluded plans to conduct plans to conduct even more of such training in 2025,” he explained.
He said the institute is determined to ensure that within the shortest time possible, Nigeria has the needed workforce in all aspects of cancer care and also working hard to make life easy for those who are already suffering from the disease by ensuring that they have access to the needed treatment and care at a reduced cost.
