Of the 127,000 cancer cases recorded annually in Nigeria, 7.2 percent are children, an official of the National Cancer Control Programme, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has said.
The National Coordinator of the Programme, Dr. Uchechukwu Nwokwu, disclosed this on the sidelines of a public enlightenment on childhood cancer in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports the event was organised by Akanimo Cancer Foundation in commemoration of the 2025 International Childhood Cancer Day.
Nwokwu said: “The current data shows that we have 127,000 cancer cases annually in Nigeria and out of which, 7.2 percent are children.
“If you look at the cancers that are common among children, it is the leukemias.
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“Adults also have leukemias, but the most common childhood cancers are the leukemias.
“It is about the fourth commonest cancer in adults.
“Coincidentally, children have more tendency to survive than adults because their systems are still very functional.
“They have the capacity to resist some of the side effects of the drugs used to treat them and they recover quite fast.
“Also, if they have the opportunity to do stem cell transplant, they can survive it.”
Nwokwu added that with early diagnosis and access to treatment, the survival rate for childhood cancer is 80 percent because their body systems have the capacity to respond to medication.
On the issue of the government’s response to childhood cancer, he said efforts were in place to include it in the Cancer Health Fund.
He said: “Before now, there was this omission of attention towards childhood cancers.
“But that has changed, and I am sure that in 2025, childhood cancer will be captured in the cancer health fund.
“So, going forward children can now access their care from that fund.”
Dr. Idorenyin Usoh, Abuja Coordinator, Akanimo Cancer Foundation, stressed the need for more advocacy and response from the government and other stakeholders towards childhood cancer.
Usoh said: “We want more awareness on childhood cancer because the truth is, childhood cancer is a silent crisis with so many children dying from it.
“Because most medical practitioners, even parents, do not think that children can have cancer, they treat them for other ailments and before they realise that it is cancer, these kids are gone.
“We have started early diagnosis and treatment because most childhood cancers are curable.”
On her part, Idara Ekanem, Founder and Executive Director of the Foundation, whose son, Akanimo, passed away from cancer, said they are committed to assisting children with cancer, especially the indigent.
Ekanem added that they are also supporting research for better treatments, therapies and cures, as well as creating more awareness on childhood cancer nationwide.
She said: “Right now, we have about 10 children in five Nigerian hospitals that we are taking care of under the patient treatment program of Akanimo Childhood Cancer Foundation.”
On the cost implication of treatment, the Founder said: “Cancer treatment is very expensive, and most of the children that we take on are absolutely indigent.
“Sometimes, they cannot afford regular food, not to talk of cancer diagnoses, investigations and treatment.
“So, we pay for everything, depending on what the child needs, from chemotherapy, to surgery, radiotherapy and other medications that the child needs to be able to make it through.”
Meanwhile, some FCT residents have commended the initiative of the foundation in creating awareness on childhood cancer, which, according to them, has not been given prominence like other forms of cancer.
Hajiya Aisha Bello, a resident of Jabi, stressed the need for the government and other stakeholders to implement policies that will enable children, especially indigent ones, suffering from cancer, access to treatment.
Bello added that the high cost of cancer treatment has affected access to treatment, forcing some patients to seek alternative care, which usually compounds the disease.
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