LAGOS, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria had started a process of reducing the cost of cancer drugs by 50 percent in hospitals through direct procurement to ensure availability of quality and cost-effective chemotherapy agents in the country, an official said Wednesday.
Speaking at a symposium on Breast Cancer in southwest city of Akure, Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health, said the government will establish dedicated cancer chemotherapy wards in nine federal tertiary institutions across the country.
Adewole added that the center would be provided with all necessary equipment to provide adequate supportive care which has been lacking in hospitals.
According to him, the initiatives will make cancer treatment relatively affordable by patients.
In the same vein, Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo State, promised to establish a breast cancer management center in the state to support the fight against the scourge.
The governor reiterated his commitment to the fight, saying that he had strong belief in advocacy of Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN).
Akeredolu, who solicited support for breast cancer awareness campaign, also called on well meaning Nigerians to help those in dire need to combat breast cancer.
He said all hands must be on deck to fight the dreaded disease, calling on women to strive hard to have proper knowledge of the scourge.
According to medical experts, breast cancer is recognized as a major public health problem in developing countries. It is a common form of cancer among women globally.
