A Consultant Radiation and Clinical Oncologist, Dr Oboh Evaristus, on Thursday, advanced two reasons why achieving effective treatment for cancer was still a burden in Nigeria.
Evaristus, who is of the Department of Radiation and Clinical Oncology, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, identified the factors as .“ Patient factor’ and ‘Treatment factor.’’
The physician said in Benin that the neglect of these two factors while treating the ailment had continued to increase the burden of cancers in the country.
‘’Cancers in Nigeria have been an enormous burden looking at it from both the patient factor as well as the treatment factor.
‘’When we talk about the patient factor, most patients in the country present advanced conditions of the disease to the hospital unlike in most developed countries where people present early cases of the disease.
‘’When people present early, the cost of treatment as well as the morbidity is less.
‘’But in Africa and Nigeria in particular, most patients present at stage four of the disease in which case the cost of treatment as well as morbidity and mortality are high and the outcome poor.
‘’People should develop proper health seeking behaviours like having routine screenings for breast cancer, prostate cancer and cervical cancer, ’’ he said.
Speaking on treatment factor, the oncologist said that the cancer treatment machines in the country were inadequate to manage the disease.
‘’Nigeria currently has eight radiotherapy centres which is grossly inadequate to manage the disease; moreover, these eight centres hardly ever work at full capacity.
‘’Patients are unable to access radiotherapy treatment due to problem of faulty machines and this challenge worsens their
conditions.
‘’Most times, patients start treatment and stop half way due mainly to faulty machines and this leads to treatment gaps which is not good for such patients.
‘’When there are treatment gaps, the tumour undergoes repopulation and in some cases differentiate to more aggressive ones that might not respond to treatment.
“It is better not to start treatment than to stop half way,’’ Evaristus said.
“ Regular machine breakdown in the country is a major challenge to cancer treatment in the county.
‘’The machines are not well maintained and repaired on time because the people who repair them are expatriates.
‘’Getting these expatriates to do routine maintenance and fixing of minor problems is a challenge.
‘’Some machines are overworked, especially when those in other centres break down,’’ he added.
The physician said there was urgent need to develop a maintenance culture in the use of the machines so as to improve cancer treatment in the country.
