AMLSN: Nigeria Has over 2m Recorded Cases of Cancer Annually

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) has revealed that over two million cases of cancer have been recorded in Nigeria.

The Association, in a communique released at the end of its 52nd annual Scientific Conference and Workshop held in Jalingo, equally disclosed that no fewer than 100,000 new cases of the deadly disease are being recorded annually in the country.

In the communique, which was signed by the President of the association, Alhaji Toyosi Raheem as well as the Secretary, Dr. Surajudeen Junaid and the Public Relations Officer, Adeyeye Adetunji Tam, the association noted that the high rate of tumour and cancer in the country is as a result of the shift from consumption of natural to artificial food and lack of regular physical exercise by Nigerians.

The association further stated that the indiscriminate, unregulated and over use of herbicides and insecticides on the farms is contributory to the occurrence of tumours and cancer in human beings.

However, it commended the federal government for establishing the National Cancer and National Cancer Control Programme to effectively tackle the scourge that has claimed thousands of lives.

It however urged the federal government to fully equip the centre and the programme with adequate human and infrastructural resources in a bid to promote early screening, confirmation and management of tumours and cancer.

According to the communique “We call on the FG to fully equip the cancer centre and programme it has established with adequate human and infrastructural resources.

This will ensure early screening, confirmation and management of tumours and other health challenges.”

Late diagnosis of cancer, according to AMLSN is on the increase and it makes the treatment and management of the disease almost impossible thereby making cancer appear invincible.

The association however called on the Minister of Health, Prof. Issac Adewale to integrate Medical Laboratory Scientists into the Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) and Save 1 Million lives Initiative for the government to quickly realise its objectives adding that medical laboratory scientists set the pace and direction for movement of the entire medical team towards success in health care delivery.

In the same vein, the association appealed to the federal government to address what it termed victimisation of certain health professionals by some Chief Medical Directors of hospitals to enhance service delivery.