By Haruna Gimba
The Federal Government will include cancer vaccination into the National Immunisation Programme, to curtail high prevalence of the scourge in the country.
National Chairman, Committee on Cancer Control, Professor Francis Durosinmi-Etti, stated this in an interview with media men in Abuja.
Professor Durosinmi-Etti, who is also the President, Cancer Education and Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CEAFON), said Federal Government is considering using other forms of vaccinations that have been improved to immunise young people before they are sexually active.
“We are planning to immunize young people especially against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and that of Hepatitis B, which when advanced could lead to cancer of the liver,” he said.
The professor decried lack of facilities for cancer management, diagnosis and treatment in Nigeria, saying that the number of patients is by far more than available facilities.
“Nigeria has seven cancer facilities in seven university teaching hospitals located in Lagos, Enugu, Benin, Ibadan, Sokoto and Zaria. However, only the facilities at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital and that of Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto were in good condition.
However, he assured that the faulty facilities were undergoing maintenance and would be restored to work in a short while.
