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By Job Osazuwa
Towards ameliorating cancer patients’ ordeal, Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki recently joined the Bricon Foundation’s co-founders, Dr. Niyi Adekeye and Mrs. Abigail Simon-Hart, trustee, Mrs. Sonja Ally, and special guest, president of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Dr. Adamu Umar, and others to launch a fundraising campaign, tagged “E fit be u,” to raise N50 million.
Focusing on reinforcing advocacy for inclusion of cancer into the non-communicable disease (NCD) framework of Nigeria’s universal health coverage, Saraki, who is the initiator of Wellbeing Foundation Africa Cancer Alliance (WBFA), raised the alarm that cancer remained the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly one in six deaths, and with a new case of cancer being diagnosed every two seconds.
“In 2018, I and my Wellbeing Foundation, commissioned the report of the Rapid Assessment of Cancer Care in Nigeria on behalf of Amref Health Africa. As the statistics prove, cancer is a personal story for all of us,” she said.
She stated that three key areas of nursing and midwifery were likely to make a significant contribution to achieving Sustainable Development Goals 3, health and wellbeing in Nigeria, which are mental health, oncology and maternal newborn health.
According to her, “With the 2030 target of the SDGs approaching fast, the targets of SDG3 will only be achieved if frontline health workers, especially nurses, midwives and community health workers, are trained, deployed and retained at all levels to provide quality care.
“The WBFACA initiated in 2018, in collaboration with regional partners, Amref Health Africa, is committed to increasing engagement with key stakeholders and experts in the focal fields to define recommendations that can be implemented to improve Nigeria’s nursing and midwifery education to contribute to Nigeria’s cancer control and treatment strategy.
“The battle of closing the cancer care gap requires a holistic approach, including increasing the awareness about the disease, educating on screening and early diagnosis, training and retraining of relevant health workers and infrastructure upgrade in our facilities across the country. We may not cure cancer today, but we can contribute to the battle against it by doing what we can to support closing the care gap.”
Saraki added that her foundation was committed to the cause of upskilling the nursing and midwifery profession to provide specialist care, and pledged to mobilise resources towards a dedicated grant to support the Bricon Foundation’s Macmillan-based services to do so.
All Bricon funds are aimed at supporting and advocating the need to improve the quality of care available to cancer patients, including the purchase of much needed cancer drugs and medicaments, funding for treatment and diagnostic tests, counselling and emotional support, as well as training and upskilling healthcare workers.
A co-founder of the foundation, Abigail Simon-Hart, said: “Saraki’s contribution to the Bricon Foundation’s target of raising N50 million is an incredible beginning to our journey in realising our mission. Her energy and deep commitment to educating, advocating and fundraising for cancer care makes a critical difference on the global health stage. Her pledge will ensure cancer patients, survivors and their families are supported in all stages of this disease.”
The cancer alliance stakeholders meeting, convened by Saraki, hosted high-level participants, including the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; the head of fundraising and partnerships, Amref Health Africa, Desta Lakew; general manager, Amref Enterprises, Dr. Fraser Karua; the global head of Access to Medicines, Takeda, Dr. Susanne Weissbaecker; senior corporate counsel, legal, Takeda, Hector Rothlisberger; surgical oncologist, University College Hospital, Dr. Bolaji Ayandipo; health economist at World Health Organisation, Dr. Francis Ukwuije; head of oncology, National Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Abubakar Bello; and other distinguished medical practitioners.
