Abuja: Stakeholders have renewed calls for increased funding and commitment toward childhood cancer research, treatment, and care to ensure that every Nigerian child can access life-saving therapies and quality health services.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the call was made during the ninth annual Childhood Cancer Awareness Walk, organised by the Okapi Children Cancer Foundation (OkapiCCF) in Abuja, to spotlight rising challenges in paediatric oncology. Ms. Kemi Adekanye, Founder of OkapiCCF, highlighted the growing number of children affected by cancer who could not afford treatment due to high costs, calling for urgent government and private sector intervention.
Adekanye emphasized that the annual awareness walk aims to raise awareness, advocate for more funding, emotional support, and promote progress toward a future free of childhood cancer in Nigeria. She noted that a child with cancer misses out on school, friendships, and a normal life, while families are emotionally and financially stretched by the pain and cost of managing long-term cancer treatments. Adekanye stressed that childhood cancer is not a death sentence and no child should die due to lack of funds, urging for stronger support systems and subsidised treatment options to ease the burden on families.
Prof. Abidemi Omonisi, President of the Nigerian Cancer Society, underscored the necessity for accurate national data to guide effective strategies, allocate resources, and reduce the overall burden of childhood cancer. He pointed out that science relies on data, and without statistics on childhood cancer, the government cannot plan, budget, or implement effective policies for children. Omonisi advocated the establishment of more childhood cancer centres, adding that increased data would drive research, national intervention, and attract appropriate funding to sustain cancer care programmes. He called for an increase in the government’s cancer care budget, emphasizing the need for a robust national budget for paediatric cancer to improve survival and care.
Dr. Uduak Offiong, a paediatrician at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, commended OkapiCCF for their ongoing financial support, which she said enabled many families to complete treatment. She noted that lack of funds is a major obstacle in childhood cancer care, even more than late detection. However, when parents know there is support, they commit to completing their child’s treatment.
Mrs. Ruth Samuel, mother of an eight-year-old cancer survivor, Stefan, shared her experience, highlighting that financial assistance helped families focus on their child’s recovery instead of worrying about hospital bills. She explained that many parents were forced to abandon care or seek unproven alternatives due to high treatment costs, which often led to deterioration in their child’s condition and reduced chances of survival. Samuel called for increased investment in early diagnosis, affordable care, and life-saving treatments, adding that reduced financial pressure could greatly improve childhood cancer survival rates across Nigeria.