Health minister launches book on cancer statistics
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has launched a book that provides information on the incidence and prevalence of cancer in Nigeria. The book, which is titled “Cancer in Nigeria: 2009 – 2013,” is a collaborative work of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), National Systems of Cancer Registries and the Federal […]
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has launched a book that provides information on the incidence and prevalence of cancer in Nigeria.
The book, which is titled “Cancer in Nigeria: 2009 – 2013,” is a collaborative work of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), National Systems of Cancer Registries and the Federal Ministry of Health.
Launching the book in Abuja, the Director, Hospital Services of the ministry, Dr. Wapada Balami, who represented the minister said that cancer data was vital to physicians, public health planners, legislators and stakeholders in winning the war against cancer.
He said the book would contribute to the “ease of access to information regarding cancer data in Nigeria. The website of the ministry will be used to host the soft copy of the compendium,” he said.
He commended the cancer registry staff from 26 states in the country for contributing data from their registries for the book.
The minister also commended the National Systems of Cancer Registries headquartered at IHVN for working tirelessly since 2009 to strengthen cancer registries in Nigeria through the provision of training, logistics, technical and scientific support to cancer registries.
“The ministry has as its priority among other measures, cancer surveillance through the cancer registry and active control of the incidence, prevalence and mortality arising from cancers,” he said.
IHVN Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Patrick Dakum, who was represented at the launch by the IHVN Director, Clinical Services, Dr. Ernest Ekong, said the book was a valid source of information on the types and the number of cancers in different zones in the country.
Contributions to the book were made by population-based cancer registries in Ibadan, Calabar, Enugu, Abuja, Sokoto and Ekiti and hospital-based cancer registries in teaching hospitals in Lagos, Kano, Anambra, Osun, Edo, Rivers, Borno, Akwa Ibom and Imo states and the Federal Medical Centres in Abeokuta, Keffi, Gombe, Lokoja, and Yenagoa.