MRCC Unveils Cancer Treatment Centre in Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa

By Rebecca Ejifoma

Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre & Specialist Hospital (MRCC), Nigeria’s first fully-equipped private oncology centre has kicked off.

To achieve this, GE Healthcare completed the delivery and installation of advanced radiology and radio pharmacy equipment in Nigeria, which will accelerate diagnostic care for cancer.

Founded by renowned physician Dr. Modupe Elebute-Odunsi and husband, Bolaji Odunsi, MRCC combines the highest standard of care with the latest treatment and technology in comfortable surroundings designed to promote healing.

According to the management, the clinically trained members of the founding team all qualified from medical colleges in Nigeria and completed postgraduate trainings specialised in oncology and haematology overseas.

The exceptional team of highly skilled personnel include consultant medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons, family physicians, radiation therapists, nurses, pharmacists, imaging technicians, laboratory scientists, nutritionists, counsellors, and healthcare administrations, working together to treat and care for patients.

Commenting on the facility, Elebute-Odunsi said: “We built the MRCC hospital to help address the gap in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer in Nigeria.

“Patients, who previously would have had to travel abroad to receive world-class treatment, are now able to get the critical care they need here at home. Early detection is vital to the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.”

As a consultant haemato-oncologist, she added that the hospital has finalised partnerships with leading healthcare insurance providers in Nigeria including BUPA, Allianz, AXA Mansard, AETNA, CIGNA, and United Health Group.

For Bolaji Odunsi, they are delighted to see their vision of the MRCC finally come to life.

He described their mission as simple: “bring together an exceptional team of Nigerian medical professionals with international training and experience to deliver the highest quality care to patients here in Nigeria.

“This expertise supported by new technology now makes world-class treatment here in Nigeria possible and affordable”.

Meanwhile, GE Healthcare is providing the comprehensive suite of solutions to the planning, development, building and equipping of the oncology diagnostic and treatment facility at MRCC.

The solutions include the award-winning Senographe Pristina 3D, the first patient-assisted compression device in mammography; the advanced LOGIQ F8 ultrasound, the comprehensive radiation therapy solution Discovery RT; and the BRIVO XR575 X-Ray and OEC 785-C Arm, two easy-to-use systems that deliver superior image quality.

While noting that all of MRCC’s medical professionals have completed advanced training on the machines, the General Manager of GE Healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa, Eyong Ebai, expressed, “We are proud to continue supporting the development of Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure.

“Our partnership with the Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre & Specialist Hospital is a true landmark as it underlines the role that the private sector can play in delivering world-class healthcare delivery in the country”.

He outlined that the new solutions are designed to expand capacity and improve quality for diagnosis and treatment at MRCC and help meet the needs of community within the country and region.

Citing a study by the World Health Organisation, Ebai acknowledged that it is possible to prevent a third of cancer cases and treat many other cases with early diagnosis and treatment.

He continued: “The latest statistics shows that cancer accounts for 18.2 per cent of premature deaths attributable to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and in 2018, of the 115,950 cancer cases reported, 70,327 patients did not survive.”

Now, the MRCC purpose-built, fully equipped facility on Victoria Island underscores the importance of in-country diagnosis of cancer and other chronic diseases, which has come in this time of travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.