A leading oncologist and Chief Clinical Coordinator at the NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre, has called for urgent reforms to address the scourge of cancer in Nigeria.

Speaking in commemoration of the 2025 World Cancer Day, Dr. Habeebu warned that Nigeria’s inadequate healthcare infrastructure and the loss of skilled professionals are threatening the fight against cancer.

The oncologist says better working conditions for doctors and increased government-private sector collaboration are sustainable strategies to combat the disease.

According to World Health Organization (WHO) statistics, cancer accounts for nearly 10 million deaths annually worldwide, with Nigeria recording over 124,000 new cases every year. Dr. Habeebu highlighted that changes in lifestyle, environmental pollution, and poor dietary habits
are fueling the surge in cancer cases.

“The key to reducing cancer cases is knowledge,” he said. “A major factor is diet—junk food, canned food, and chemically preserved meals are increasing colon cancer rates. Our forefathers relied on organic foods like cassava, which is high in fibre, but today, we have adopted unhealthy Western diets.”

He also pointed out that urbanization and pollution are contributing factors. “In cities like Lagos, we inhale generator fumes at night and vehicle exhaust during the day. Environmental hazards like these, along with stress and lack of exercise, are increasing cancer risks.”

One of the biggest challenges facing cancer care in Nigeria is the shortage of trained oncologists and advanced medical equipment. Dr. Habeebu revealed that over 50% of newly trained radiation oncologists leave the country for better opportunities abroad, leaving Nigeria with a severe deficit.

“Most centres do not even have the necessary machines to treat cancer. Very few have linear accelerators or brachytherapy machines. Only a handful, like NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre, are adequately equipped,” he said.

To curb the Japa syndrome and retain skilled medical professionals, Dr. Habeebu said there is a need for better salaries and working conditions. He suggested that the government adopt a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, similar to what has been implemented at the NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre.

The NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre, a collaboration between the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and Siemens Healthineers, has been a success story in cancer care. Since its establishment in 2019, the centre has treated over 12,000 patients and reduced the need for medical tourism, saving Nigeria significant foreign exchange.

“The partnership with NSIA and Siemens has ensured that we have four radiotherapy machines,including three linear accelerators and a high-wave radiotherapy machine,” Dr. Habeebu noted.

“Because the facility is maintained by a private model, it has functioned efficiently for six years with minimal downtime.”

Beyond providing state-of-the-art treatment, the NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre has become a hub for training medical professionals. “We have attracted Nigerians in the diaspora and international partners from Europe and America to help train our staff, ensuring that cancer treatment here meets global standards.”

Siemens Healthineers, a key partner in this initiative, reaffirmed its commitment to expanding cancer care across Nigeria.

Tisha Boatman, executive vice president of Siemens Healthineers, said as part of this partnership, “we are providing high-quality linear accelerators along with a 10-year maintenance contract and extensive training for healthcare professionals.”

Bortman, who is also the head of external affairs and healthcare access at Siemens added that by the end of 2025, Nigeria would have 16 operational linear accelerators, significantly improving access to radiotherapy nationwide.

A major milestone in this partnership was the installation of Nigeria’s first training-focused Linear Accelerator at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). This centre now serves as a hub for radiotherapy education, with a virtual classroom and advanced therapy planning systems.

By focusing on capacity building, workforce development, and technology-driven solutions, Boatman said “Siemens is helping to create a future where cancer diagnosis and treatment are
more accessible and efficient.”

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a public alert against the intake of substandard Paracetamol from Liberia.

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, NAFDAC issued an official statement to warn Nigerians against purchasing the drug before even thinking about taking it.

“The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is notifying the public of a substandard paracetamol suspension PARA CLEAR SUSPENSION 125 received from Liberian Medicine and Health Product Regulatory Authority for laboratory testing in the NAFDAC Central Drug Control Laboratory (CDCL),” NAFDAC wrote.

“Laboratory analysis of the sample confirms that the product contains toxic ethylene glycol, a toxic substance that is not expected in product formulations.

“The product also failed the requirement for acute oral toxicity with five deaths of the laboratory animals recorded,”

NAFDAC said that diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol are toxic to humans when consumed and can prove fatal.

Public Alert No. 017/2023.
Alert on substandard Paracetamol Suspension received from Republic of Liberia.#NafdacALERTShttps://t.co/kKHpE9sCCN pic.twitter.com/L3LopU9ww5

— NAFDAC NIGERIA (@NafdacAgency) June 15, 2023

https://twitter.com/NafdacAgency/status/1669358843154026497?t=5s3RHY5ISR9KuFA1tM_8_Q&s=08

It further stated that the toxic effects can include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state and acute kidney injury which may lead to death.

According to NAFDAC, Paracetamol Suspension is used for the treatment of mild to moderate aches and pain including headache, migraine, neuralgia, toothache, sore throat, menstrual pains etc.

It is also used for the reduction of fever and to be used as an adjunctive treatment to relieve symptoms of cold and flu.

Although the product is not in NAFDAC database, importers, distributors, retailers and consumers are advised to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid the importation, distribution, sale and use of substandard (contaminated) syrups.

NAFDAC said that all medical products must be obtained from authorized/licensed suppliers. The products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked.

NAFDAC implores members of the public to desist from purchasing medicinal products from unauthorized sources such as roadside vendors and street hawkers as fake drugs are mostly smuggled into the country from neighbouring countries and distributed through such inappropriate channels.

“Anyone in possession of the above-mentioned product is advised to discontinue sale or use and submit stock to the nearest NAFDAC office,” it said.

“If you, or someone you know, have used this product, or suffered any adverse reaction/event after use, you are advised to seek immediate medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.”

Healthcare professionals and consumers are advised to report any suspicion of the sale and use of substandard and falsified medicines to the nearest NAFDAC office.

Similarly, healthcare professionals and patients are also encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of the medicinal product to the nearest NAFDAC office.

The World Health Organization has said COVID-19 is no longer a global public health emergency.

A statement on Friday stated that the decision was reached at WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee held Thursday at its 15th meeting on the pandemic.

WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also agreed with the committee’s resolution that COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).

“For more than a year the pandemic has been on a downward trend,” Tedros said at a news conference Friday.

“This trend has allowed most countries to return to life as we knew it before Covid-19. Yesterday, the emergency committee met for the 15th time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice,” he said.

The global health body had declared the coronavirus outbreak to be a public health emergency of international concern in January 2020, about six weeks before characterizing it as a pandemic.

At the time, there were fewer than 10,000 cases of the virus, most of them in China.

The statement further read, “WHO declares a PHEIC when an emergency is ‘serious, sudden, unusual or unexpected’, with implications for health beyond the affected state’s national borders – and the status helps trigger a set of measures and legally binding obligations that facilitate a coordinated international response.

“Lack of PHEIC status does not mean COVID-19 is no longer a pandemic: the DG noted that this news does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat.

“Several PHEICs have not been related to pandemics, and several sustained epidemics or ‘pandemics’ have not been assigned PHEIC status.”