Dr. Nwamaka Lasebikan, the Director of Research and Innovation at the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), has called for strategic investment in cancer care in Enugu State, Nigeria, during the 2025 World Cancer Day commemoration.
Highlighting the growing cancer incidence, with prevalent cases including breast, cervical, and prostate cancers, Lasebikan stressed the need for a focused approach to address the challenges faced by Enugu’s healthcare system. She pointed out that cancer care is not just a health necessity but also an economic opportunity for the state. Despite a functional cancer center at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), the region faces significant barriers, such as a shortage of skilled oncologists, inadequate infrastructure, and high treatment costs.
Lasebikan called for collaboration among the government, private sector, and diaspora investors to develop a comprehensive cancer care ecosystem that would include workforce development, improved infrastructure, and policy reforms. She particularly emphasized the acute shortage of oncologists in Nigeria, noting that the global standard is one oncologist per 250 cancer patients, but Nigeria currently has fewer than 80 specialists for around 120,000 cancer patients. In Enugu, this gap is even more pronounced, with only four specialist oncologists available for the population.
By integrating cancer care into the state’s healthcare reform agenda, Lasebikan believes that Enugu could not only improve survival rates but also boost economic opportunities, positioning the state as a leader in specialized healthcare services in Southeast Nigeria.
