The Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS) says the high rate of immigration of health workers is impacting on the number of oncologists attending to cancer patients in the country.
President of the society, Prof. Abidemi Emmanuel Omonisi, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the society’s commemoration of the World Cancer Day.
Oncologists are doctors specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers.
Prof. Omonisi said poor remuneration, poor infrastructure, insecurity, low standard of living and inadequate funding for the healthcare system, among others has led to migration of radiation and clinical oncologists, pathologists, oncology nursing and other categories of health workers.
Quoting the Association of Radiation and Clinical Oncologists of Nigeria (ARCON), a corporate member of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Prof. Omonisi said the ideal ratio of a radiation and clinical oncologist to cancer patient is 1: 250 – 500, but that the ratio of the radiation and clinical oncologist to cancer patients in Nigeria is presently 1: 1, 800.
“This accounted for the increasing long queues observed in all our oncology clinics in the country. I wish to specially appeal to the President and Commander in- chief of the Federal Government of Nigeria to address the push and pull factors responsible for the exodus of skilled health workers from the country,” he said.
He said the society has observed the increasing incidence of some neglected cancers in Nigeria such as colo-rectal cancer, childhood, ovarian, and hematological cancers.
Prof. Omonisi said the federal government over the years has been focusing on prostate, breast and cervical cancers.
He called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, to pay serious attention to the neglected cancers in Nigeria.