FG declares cancer a disease of public health importance

The Federal Ministry of Health has declared cancer a notifiable disease in Nigeria, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to combat the growing cancer burden. Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa, made the declaration Wednesday in Abuja during a workshop on cancer registration organised by the National Institute […]

The Federal Ministry of Health has declared cancer a notifiable disease in Nigeria, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to combat the growing cancer burden.

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa, made the declaration Wednesday in Abuja during a workshop on cancer registration organised by the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT).

A notifiable disease is a disease that, when diagnosed, requires health providers (usually by law) to report to state or local public health officials. Notifiable diseases are of public interest because of their contagiousness, severity or frequency, according to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC).

He said, “As of today, cancer is officially declared a notifiable disease in Nigeria. This declaration is a critical step towards strengthening our national response to the growing burden of cancer in our country.”

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He said the decision to make cancer a notifiable disease was informed by the alarming increase in cancer cases and deaths in Nigeria.

Quoting the World Health Organization (WHO), he said cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, with approximately 127,000 new cases and 79,000 cancer-related deaths reported in Nigeria in 2022 alone.

He said the lack of accurate data on cancer incidence and prevalence has hindered the country’s ability to effectively plan, implement and evaluate cancer control interventions.

The minister added that by making cancer a notifiable disease, all private and public healthcare institutions in Nigeria were now obligated to report all cases of cancer they diagnose to the National Cancer Registry, hosted at the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT).