The Federal Government has increased financial support for cancer patients through targeted health funds and insurance initiatives, as it invests in local research, drug production, and clinical trials to improve access to affordable cancer care.
The Director-General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Prof. Usman Malami, disclosed this at the Best of American Society of Clinical Oncology Africa 2026 conference held in Abuja.
Malami said the Federal Government had introduced several interventions to reduce the financial burden of cancer treatment, acknowledging that the cost of care remained beyond the reach of many Nigerians.
He explained that the devastating Health Fund, domiciled under the National Health Insurance Authority, subsidises cancer prevention, diagnosis, chemotherapy and radiotherapy for eligible patients.
According to him, NICRAT also manages the National Cancer Health Fund, which provides financial assistance to indigent cancer patients.
“These are initiatives by the government to support the people of Nigeria suffering from this dreadful disease,” Malami said.
He further stated that the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain would accelerate local production of cancer medicines, reducing dependence on imported drugs while improving access to affordable treatment.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser on Research and Innovation to the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Lolade Adewale, said the government was strengthening financial protection for cancer patients through expanded insurance coverage.
Adewale said both the Cancer Health Fund and the Social Determinants of Health Fund would improve access to treatment for eligible Nigerians.
She further disclosed that Nigeria had commenced three immunotherapy clinical studies for the first time, giving patients access to advanced cancer medicines that were previously unavailable in the country.
She also said drugs such as Nivolumab and Keytruda are now being provided free of charge to eligible participants through clinical trials, reducing the need for Nigerians to seek treatment abroad.
The conference, organised in collaboration with the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer, was themed: “From Global Discovery to Local Delivery: Driving Africa to the Cutting Edge of Cancer Care.”
(The Whistler)