Foundation Leads Awareness Campaign On Childhood Cancer

In commemoration of Worldwide Childhood Most cancers Day (ICCD) 2025, the Akanimo Most cancers Basis, a non-governmental organisation, has launched a nationwide consciousness marketing campaign to focus on the challenges confronted by kids battling most cancers in Nigeria.

The initiative goals to teach the general public, elevate consciousness about early detection, and advocate for elevated help for younger most cancers sufferers and their households.

Talking on the occasion, Dr. Uchechukwu Nwokwu, nationwide coordinator of the Nationwide Most cancers Management Programme, Federal Ministry of Well being and Social Welfare, shared that 7.2% of the 127,000 most cancers instances recorded yearly in Nigeria contain kids.

“Information is being collated; nevertheless, the present determine reveals that there are 127,000 most cancers instances yearly in Nigeria, out of which 7.2% are kids,” he mentioned.

Dr Nwokwu defined that the survival price for childhood most cancers is 80% when recognized early, with correct therapy and the physique’s skill to answer medicine.

“The cancers most typical amongst kids are leukaemias. Coincidentally, kids are likely to survive greater than adults as a result of their techniques are nonetheless practical. They will resist some negative effects of the medicine and get well shortly. If they’ve the chance for a stem cell transplant, they’ll survive it,” he added.

Addressing the federal government’s response to childhood most cancers, Dr. Nwokwu famous efforts to incorporate childhood most cancers within the Most cancers Well being Fund.

“Beforehand, there was an omission of consideration towards childhood cancers. However that has modified, and by 2025, childhood most cancers might be included within the Most cancers Well being Fund. Which means that kids will now be capable of entry care via that fund,” he mentioned.

Abuja coordinator of the Akanimo Most cancers Basis, Dr Idorenyin Usohemphasised the necessity for extra advocacy and coverage inclusion from the federal government and different stakeholders concerning childhood most cancers.

“We’d like extra consciousness as a result of childhood most cancers is a silent disaster. Many kids are dying from it. Most medical practitioners and even dad and mom don’t initially assume that kids can have most cancers, and by the point they notice it, it’s typically too late. Early analysis and therapy are important as most childhood cancers are curable when caught early,” she mentioned.

Founder and govt director of the Basis, Mrs Idara Ekanem whose son Akanimo handed away from most cancers, reiterated the Basis’s dedication to serving to kids with most cancers, particularly indigent sufferers.

She additionally highlighted the Basis’s help for analysis into higher therapies and therapies, in addition to efforts to create extra public consciousness about childhood most cancers.

“At the moment, we’re caring for about 10 kids in 5 Nigerian hospitals via our affected person therapy program,” she mentioned.

Relating to the monetary burden of most cancers therapy, Mrs. Ekanem lamented the excessive prices concerned.

“Many of the kids we help are indigent. Usually, they’ll’t afford therapy, clinic visits, meals, and even exams to verify their situation. We cowl all prices, together with chemotherapy, surgical procedure, radiotherapy, and different medicines required to assist these kids survive,” she added.

In the meantime, some FCT residents counseled the Basis’s initiative to boost consciousness about childhood most cancers, which has typically been overshadowed by different types of most cancers.

Dozie Chukwu, a resident of Kado, referred to as on the federal government and stakeholders to implement insurance policies that might enhance therapy and survival probabilities for youngsters, particularly these from indigent backgrounds.

“The excessive value of most cancers therapy limits entry, and plenty of households are compelled to hunt various, much less efficient therapies, which reduces the possibilities of survival,” he mentioned.

ICCD is commemorated globally on February 15 annually to boost consciousness of childhood most cancers and generate help for youngsters, adolescents, and their households affected by most cancers.

The Akanimo Most cancers Basis’s public enlightenment marketing campaign was held concurrently in Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, Uyo, Kano, and Port Harcourt to boost consciousness and help for childhood most cancers.