Foundation Seeks More Private Sector Driven Intervention At Primary Health Care Level for Cancer Treatment

The Founder of Sarah Ayoka Oduwaiye Foundation (SAOF), Dr. Olayinka Oduwaiye has called for more private sector driven intervention at primary health care level for cancer and other chronic illnesses in the country.

Speaking at a breast awareness and fundraising event in Lagos, Dr. Oduwaiye, said that it is worrisome that people die because of high cost cancer treatment in Nigeria.

He said, the whole idea of the cancer charity is pick it early, act quickly and prevent cancer, hence the foundation is working to create more awareness about it in Nigeria.

According to him, “We have done a lot in the last 16 years. Not only are we looking out for early cancer, we look out for chronic diseases too, diabetes, blood pressure, and other chronic illnesses that could be a problem. Sadly, health services here are not what it should be compared with where I work in the UK or the United States.

“The thing is that in cancer, patients sadly pay with their life. Patients sadly pay with their life for cancer in Nigeria, which is very sad, unlike the UK. Because the moment you pick it, within two weeks, you refer them to the specialist so that they can start early diagnosis and cure, if possible.

“And I’m encouraging other non-governmental organizations to come into the field. We need more community-led initiatives and private-led initiatives to make primary healthcare accessible.

The event also witnessed giving of awards to those who have contributed immensely to the foundation.

SAOF focuses on early detection of breast cancer through targeted initiatives and championing awareness to ensure timely identification and intervention through advocacy that spans diverse communities.

In addition to raising cancer awareness and providing treatment, the foundation has various programs dedicated to enhancing healthcare development in Nigeria by consistently carrying out free medical outreach in rural areas and offering primary healthcare interventions.

SAOF support youths by raising teenage cancer awareness, menstrual hygiene, and sex education, while also providing mentorship and scholarships to excellent students and vulnerable students who cannot pay school fees, particularly in Nigeria

The fundraising is part of efforts to obtain the SAOF’s mobile health clinic for Rural Health Outreach in remote areas of Nigeria to save lives in underserved communities where information on breast cancer and other prevalent diseases is scarce

However, speaking on how Nigerians in diaspora can upscale their impact and contribution to the country, the Chairman SAOF USA, Albert Van-Lare, said that the various stakeholders in the health sector must redouble their efforts.

According to him, “We are doing a little bit now, but it’s not enough. I think we need to find a way to bring resources back to this country through private initiatives to develop and help communities because the government cannot do it all.

“Even in the United States, the government, they don’t do everything. There are foundations like this, there are private entities, and in fact, the private hospitals are very, very effective in working with the community. There are a lot of community-based healthcare systems. I think we could do that, and we can focus more on primary care as opposed to trying to build complicated teaching hospitals. People have typhoid, they have malaria. Those are basic things that need to be done in every village. No Nigerian should have to suffer because they cannot get easy access to doctors that will take care of them.”

Explaining the kind of community-led initiatives that can bring healthcare closer to people, Van-Lare, said the foundation is looking at bringing a mobile clinic vehicle.

He maintains as a non-governmental organisation they would continue to be a vehicle through which more community focused intervention will reach more people at community level.

According to him, “SAOF needs to do more to serve as a kind of vehicle. What can we do? Part of what is in our plan now, is to get a mobile health clinic, a big one. In fact, one of our colleagues from London brought one. They are not cheap. It is like half a million pounds.

“They are equipped with theaters where you can do operations. They are equipped with where you can do scanning. You can do blood tests, diagnosis. It’s really a hospital on the floor, a hospital on the move. And what that does is it allows us, like you pick a state, and you say, today we want to go to this state, and you go from one village to another village.”