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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA, Germany, in partnership with African First Ladies, has provided scholarship opportunity for 9O young doctors from 25 African countries to gain additional knowledge and skills to fight different forms of cancer.
The doctors were chosen from Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, DRC, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinee, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
CEO of Merck Foundation, Dr. Rasha Kelej, in a statement to commemorate the 2022 World Cancer Day with the theme “close the care gap”, explained that the scholarship opportunity will cover oncology multidisciplinary training to the benefitting doctors.
She confirmed that there’s shortage of oncologist across Africa, hence the decision of the Foundation to work with their ambassadors and other partners to increase the limited number of Oncologists in Africa through the scholarships opportunities.
Meanwhile, in Nigeria, hundreds of cancer survivors and advocates shut down Abuja, on Saturday, in a advocacy march to raise public awareness about cancer, its symptoms and things to do to prevent cancer and get cured if diagnosed.
The march which was part of activities to mark the 2022 World Cancer Day, in Nigeria witnessed massive participation of different advocacy groups that deal on issues of cancer programmes, as well as officials of Federal Ministry of Health, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and other relevant stakeholders.
Also, human right activist, Aisha Yesufu, Civil Society Organizations and management of Transcorp Hilton hotel and members of the diplomatic corp, students, joined forces to raise the awareness.
Rauncie Chidebe, the Executive Director, Project Pink Blue, whose organization arranged the advocacy march, told journalists that the awareness march was organized to amplify the voice of advocates and cancer survivors, thus neutralizing the fear, anxiety and misconception that cancer is a death sentence.
He said: “We need to let the world know that 124,000 Nigerians are diagnosed of cancer every year, while 72, 000 Nigerians die of different form of cancer every year.
“It’s also important we inform Nigerians that cancer is preventable, treatable and curable, and that’s why we came with people that have survived cancer to testify and encourage others.
“We need to take our health seriously, check and lifestyle, and periodically, carry out thorough check of our body for any sign of cancer. We need to take necessary action and collective responsibilities to achieve the needed result.
“Lifestyle is very important in issues of cancer. People need to monitor their lifestyle and avoid things that would increase their chances of being cancer patient.”
He lamented shortage of cancer care services across the country, thereby, challenging the government and other corporate companies to take up the responsibilities of providing cancer care services to patients particularly in rural and semi-urban communities
