UI Alumni Association to Establish Cancer Center at Teaching Hospital

The University of Ibadan Alumni Association, UIAA (Worldwide), is set to establish a Cancer Diagnostic Centre at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan and has called on stakeholders in the health sector to support its N2 billion appeal fund for the project.

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The President of the association, Prof. Elsie Adewoye, made the call, at the weekend, during a news conference, held at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Adewoye disclosed that the initiative was borne out of the need to draw public attention to the growing incidence of cancer, create the necessary public awareness on the preventive measures of cancer and further inform Nigerians and the world of the association’s plans to key into global efforts to stem the devastating impact of cancer in the society.

She explained that cancer, not peculiar to Nigeria, is a world-wide disease with global implications which requires a synergy of interventions on a global scale, acknowledging that although there are other diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, hypertension or sickle cell anemia, which have been of major concern to medical researchers all over the world, the association has chosen to intervene in cancer because cancer has emerged as a leading cause of deaths annually, globally.

“We call on all public spirited persons in Nigeria and beyond, organisations, institutions, agencies, commissions, churches, etc. to rise to the solidarity with the University of Ibadan Alumni Association (Worldwide) in its onerous but worthy quest to raise N2 billion for a Cancer Diagnostic Center at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan,” Adewoye appealed.

She disclosed that the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 shows that deaths related to cancer rose by 17% between 2005 and 2015 and projects that by 2030, new diagnosed cases would have risen by 68% to 23.7m, saying it is further estimated that cancer caused 8.8 million deaths (one in every six deaths) globally in 2015 and cost the world the best part of US$1.16 trillion, in 2010.

Adewoye noted that the burden of cancer in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is large and growing, recalling that in 2020, according to Prof. Isaac Adewole, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan and former Minister of Health in Nigeria, cancer was responsible for 79,000 deaths in Nigeria, with new cases estimated at 125,000 annually.

She stated: “Other notable and critical issues that have been adduced for the growing rise of the illness in the country are the cost implications of treatment, fear to speak out by victims, lack of access to medical facilities, near absence of oncological and diagnostic centres in the country, lack of the study of oncology in our universities and absence of a clear cut scientific explanation for the cause of cancer.”

While responding, Prof. Adeniyi Adenipekun, who represented the Chief Medical Director of UCH, Prof. Jason Otegbayo, stated that the UCH is in full support of the cancer diagnostic center, which he referred to as a timely intervention that would encourage people to access early diagnosis and bring about an increase in the cure rate of cancer.

Adenipekun said: “It tells you the burden of cancer in Nigeria, 70% to 80% of our cases come in late stages where treatment and cure is almost impossible because diagnostic aspect is not robust enough. So, if a programme like this is going to provide a diagnostic centre where people can quickly access diagnosis, then early detection will now be a common occurrence unlike what we have right now.”

The association further affirmed that it would purchase equipment needed for the cancer diagnostic center within 6 months if support and funds come in as expected.