The International College of Surgeons, Nigeria Section (ICS-NS), has expressed worry over the absence of high-end specialised services and facilities for cancer care in Akwa-Ibom and other states across the federation.
In a communiqué issued at the end of its 2024 Scientific Conference, themed: “Current Trends and Challenges to Surgical Oncology Practice,” in Uyo, jointly signed by the ICS-NS National President, Prof. Akanimo Essiet, and Assistant Secretary, Dr Christian Madubueze, called for a significant government’s support to ameliorate specialised cancer care, which is capital intensive globally.
The group also revealed that the regular screening programmes for cancer with reliable early detection tests have not been well implemented, while noting that early detection and treatment of the various types of cancers is key to achieving cure, although therapy also exists to improve the length and quality of life of late presenters, in whom cure is no longer possible.
ICS-NS stressed the need for adequate funding and equitable distribution of cancer care and other high-end medical services in the country, emphasised the need for both the federal and state governments to adequately fund public facilities, to cater to the less privileged.
The group said that the ‘Japa’ phenomenon, caused by poor remuneration, loss of job satisfaction, and insecurity, has made it difficult for millions of Nigerians to see a doctor and drastically reduced the healthcare workforce, making the doctor-to-patient ratio in Nigeria to be one doctor to 9,083 patients, instead of one doctor to 600 patients as recommended by the WHO.
The College maintained that insurable treatments and procedures under the National Health Insurance Scheme should be widened, to capture some critical, specialised, services.
“Also, affordability and ease of access to capital should be ensured for investors in the health sector, to facilitate the reversal of medical tourism and in so doing, enable proper harnessing of a veritable and significant source of income for the country,” it said.
It also called on states and local governments to attract and keep healthcare workers by providing good healthcare facilities, good roads, improved power supply, access to potable water, good schools, and access to telecommunications.
On the security situation in the country, the ICS-NS called on the government to decisively deal with insecurity, which is negatively impacting on the health of Nigerians.
Earlier, Essiet said the conference would enable the college chart a clear path for meaningful practice of the surgical and allied arts, especially of the humanitarian genre, by fellows of the College.
He also added that the theme was carefully chosen to interrogate the current state of the practice of surgery and allied arts in the sub-region, prevailing challenges, and possibilities available for extenuating and/or mitigating such challenges.
The ICS world President, Dr Guido Parquet of the Paraguay Section, called on the College to strive to achieve sustainability in all global humanitarian settings of surgery, and assume the responsibility of training local people to capably carry on the work of visiting humanitarian surgical teams. He said, “ICS will continue to raise the standards for safe surgery around the world, while at the same time addressing the unmet humanitarian needs of millions of people, recognising and addressing the needs of underprivileged patients.”
The Chairman Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the conference, Dr Okon Edet Akaiso, said the theme and sub-themes of the conference were chosen to address the burden of common cancers in Nigeria and access to minimally invasive approaches to surgical procedures.
The post Surgeons bemoan inadequate specialists, facilities for cancer care appeared first on Guardian Nigeria News.
