Lara Adejoro The Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa, says the Federal Government is collaborating with the private sector to tackle rising cancer cases in Nigeria. He gave the assurance in Abuja on Thursday at a meeting with officials of Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre & Specialist Hospital, Lagos, who had just secured accreditation from the National Postgraduate Medical College to offer a residency programme in clinical and radiation oncology. The Minister who was represented by Dr Lolade Adeyemi, Special Adviser, Research and Innovation, noted that the milestone, being the first of its kind for a private hospital in Nigeria, represents a significant leap forward in Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
He said, “The inception of this residency programme is not merely an academic achievement, but a vital contribution towards addressing the critical shortage of oncology specialists in Nigeria. “By providing first-class postgraduate training in clinical and radiation oncology, the hospital is playing a pivotal role in the collective mission to improve health outcomes for cancer patients, and advance the overall standard of medical care in Nigeria.” The Minister commended the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre, Dr Modupe Elebute-Odunsi for her visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to enhancing the capacity and quality of oncology care in Nigeria.
Odunsi, on her part, highlighted the need for more enlightenment to reduce people�.