WORLD CANCER DAY
Globally, February 4 is set aside as the day to create awareness about cancer, as was firstly celebrated on February 04, 2000, after World Cancer Summit in Paris. The organizers of I AM I WILL believe that this day is really important because about 76 million people die every year due to cancer.
This year’s theme for world cancer day is I AM I WILL, this theme highlights the value of every individual to fight against cancer. It is an empowering call to action asking people to take make moves towards saving the future.
Though some people especially in Africa has found a spiritual explanation for cancer
, medical practitioners say the uncontrolled growth of a group of cells in the body is known as cancer. Cancer is said to have no age limits as it can occur at any age, but early detection and presentation has been advised to reduce death risk.
According to the figures published on the official website of world cancer day, every year about 9.6 million people die from cancer. Also, it was gathered that at least one out of three common cancers are preventable and low middle-income countries are responsible for 70 percent of cancer deaths.
According to medical experts, in addition to smoking, risk factors for cancer include, heavy alcohol consumption, excess body weight, physical inactivity, poor nutrition, also, it was gathered that the most significant unpreventable risk factor is age.
I AM I WILL
It’s no news that the Nigerian Government placed a ban on government officials seeking medical care abroad, but one will wonder if that is enough to be rest assured that the needed measures have been put in place to combat cancer among the Nigerian populace.
Recently, it was gathered that the Chinese Government opened a 1,000 bed coronavirus hospital in a city close to Wuhan where the outbreak of the disease began.The Dabie Mountain Regional Medical Centre started receiving patients at few hours after workers spent just 48 hours converting an empty building.
More than 500 construction workers, electricians and police worked around the clock to open the hospital in the Huangzhou District.
The question on the lips of many Nigerians is how soon can the Nigerian Government put in place facilities to combat cancer that seem to have come to stay before thinking of combating an outbreak like Corona virus.
Perhaps, this is a wakeup call to government at all levels in Nigeria to wake up to the reality that there are more to do in the health sector than mere talks, plans and annual commemoration of days.
As for the 2020 World Cancer Day theme says I AM I WILL, the question is what will the government of Nigeria do decisively about fighting cancer and helping cancer victims? How affordable is the available cancer treatment in Nigeria? What is the survival rate of cancer Victims in Nigeria? Remember that Nigeria was recently named among the nations with the list funding for cancer treatment.
