Cancer awareness, knowledge as tools

As the world marks the 2022 International Day for Cancer, we wish to harp on awareness and power of knowledge as the best means in reducing the global impact of the killer disease.   We also wish to make case for the affordability of the treatment of the disease by all tiers of government, as […]

As the world marks the 2022 International Day for Cancer, we wish to harp on awareness and power of knowledge as the best means in reducing the global impact of the killer disease.  

We also wish to make case for the affordability of the treatment of the disease by all tiers of government, as cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally.  

As part of activities to mark the day, we wish to call on governments, civil society organisations and spirited individuals to make facilities available for regular testing and treatment.  

We, the cancer community, would want to make our voice heard on a global scale, generate enthusiasm, raise awareness about the need to close the gap in cancer care and make sure that everyone has equitable access to life-saving services.  

We wish to commend the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) for inspiring greater awareness of cancer and action in better prevention, detection and treatment of the disease.  

Our call for greater awareness is anchored on the 2022 theme: “Close the Care Gap”. We need more awareness from government at all levels, CSOs and individuals. Government should make facilities available for regular and compulsory testing yearly and treatment should be affordable.  

The natural remedies should be promoted and encouraged too, especially those plants certified by scientists.

We know that every single one of us has the ability to make a difference, large or small, and that together we can make real progress in reducing the global impact of cancer. Close the care gap, is about identifying and addressing the barriers that exist for many people around the world in accessing the care they need.

The World Cancer Day is an international day marked on February 4, to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment. 

Ms Cecilia Kadiri, Helpline Foundation for the Needy, Abuja