A new study has revealed that more Nigerians may die of cancer within the next seven years if nothing is done to halt the scourge in the country. The study conducted by the Federal Ministry of Health and the Analysis of Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention Policies in Africa Project (ANPPA), found that cancer, a Non-Communicable Disease (NCD), could kill more than malaria and Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) that are much feared for their high casualties.
The study also pointed out the prevalence of the ailment and other NCDs like cardiovascular diseases, stroke and Type 11 diabetes. Prof. Oladimeji Oladepo, who led the team of researchers, linked the development to the fact that the country does not have a strong health system to treat the victims.
Also, the National Coordinator, Non-Communicable Diseases at the Ministry of Health, Nnenna Ezeigwe,  said that the diseases are virtually without a cure, extremely expensive to treat and notorious for causing debilitation, discomfort, morbidity, disability and premature deaths.
Ezeigwe also explained that globalisation and industrialization are fuelling the increase in NCDs, as they have imposed unhealthy lifestyles and risky behaviours such as unhealthy nutrition, overweight and obesity, lack of physical activity, excessive alcohol intake and use of tobacco.
To overcome the situation, Oladepo advised Nigerians to maintain healthy lifestyles by exercising, eating diets that are low in salt and ensuring that they consume less alcohol or none at all. The medical expert also called for stricter regulatory measures, including a ban on tobacco products and heavy tax on alcohol.
Cancer is, indeed, one of the growing diseases the world over. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there were over 800,000 new cancer cases in Nigeria in 2008. Nigeria’s case is compounded by high consumption of alcohol and tobacco use. This, the medical experts say, will in the next few years translate to an increase in the incidence of NCDs in the country.
The Federal Ministry of Health and other stakeholders should initiate strategies to accelerate the formulation of policies and interventions on NCDs in the country. We advise that the state and local governments should be part of this policy formulation. Policies that are designed to address this problem should be strictly implemented. The bane of our healthcare system is poor implementation of policies. Government should intensify public education on the debilitating conditions so that members of the public can make the required lifestyle changes.
Such enlightenment has become necessary in view of the widespread ignorance on NCDs in the country. Some Nigerians are still superstitious about what causes strokes and NCDs. Many Nigerians still believe that stroke is a form of spiritual attack.
This is the time to educate these Nigerians on the real causes of these disease. The timely warning from this new study should not be ignored. Nigerians should reduce salt intake, increase their physical activities and drastically cut alcohol use, if they cannot abstain from it.
They should also do away with tobacco use. The government should equip our hospitals to handle   cancer cases and other NCDs. We need well equipped special cancer centres in each of the six geo-political zones of the country.
Government should begin to pay more attention to NCDs now that they are on the increase. Nigerians spend a lot of money travelling abroad to treat these diseases. The government should, therefore, do all in its power to halt Nigerians’ increasing medical tourism to European, American and Asian countries on account of NCDs. More medical experts should be trained to handle the diseases in the country.

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