The Niola Cancer Care Foundation (NCCF) has revealed alarming statistics on cancer deaths and new cases in Nigeria.
The foundation disclosed that In 2023, over 70,000 deaths were recorded, with more than 100,000 new cases diagnosed.
The Foundation also raises the alarm over the rise in the cases of colon cancer in Nigeria, warrying that it’s trending.
To this end, Eniola Akintunde, the Executive Director of Niola Foundation said the trend is prompting the foundation to intensify awareness and sensitization efforts.
Niola Cancer Care Foundation (NCCF) a member of Global Colorectal Cancer Association (GCCA) and Nigeria Cancer Society (NCS), advocating for increased awareness for Colorectal Cancer (CRC) in order to foster early presentation.
Speaking to newsmen during its sensitisation programme for market women and men at the Omida Market, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital on Wednesday, Mrs Akintunde emphasised the importance of early detection and treatment.
She said “Colon cancer is treatable, and we urge Nigerians to get checked. Early detection is the only way out it will be treated instead of wasting money raising millions for peole. In Nigeria let us encourage screening culture. When you treat it early it is better.
“As at last year, we have over 100 thousand new cases of cancer and and over 70,000 deaths. Column cancer is like the third now that is killing peope in Nigeria amd that is why we are creating awarness and the good thing about it is that it’s treatable and there is actually a cure for it. We are creating the awarness today at Omida. We are telling peope to go for screaning”, she added.
The ED appealed to the Federal government to initiate more advocacy on cancer, stating that “this is the only way we can prevent it”.
