Cancer drugs rot at National Medical Store

Emmanuel Ulayi


FAILURE of Nigerians to access drugs for the treatment of various forms of cancer at the National Medical Store in Oshodi, Lagos, is responsible for the high rate of the disease in the country.
The President of African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), Prof. Isaac Adewole, who disclosed this, said that some of the drugs had expired.
He also regretted that doctors and pharmacists had failed to make the drugs available to the patients.
To this end, he identified doctors and pharmacists in government hospitals as a clog in the treatment of cancer in the country.
Adewole spoke a media awareness campaign against cancer on the African continent where he decried the attitude of the professional health workers.
He said they should be held liable for not doing enough towards arresting the situation.
Adewole said: “All that is needed is the doctors and the pharmacists to do their jobs by prescribing and dispensing the drugs. They are available at the National Store. Many of these drugs have expired and there is no way the stock can be replenished because since they are still available and unused, there is no way more can make case for more.”
He, however, suggested that the concerned health authorities should prescribe and dispense the drugs for those in need.
Noting that the number of cancer treating institutions in the country is grossly inadequate, the University of Ibadan lecturer said, “though we have just five radiotherapy machines in the country right now for a population of over 150 million, respite will soon come the way of cancer patients.
“Though that is not the only equipment we find in a cancer treatment centre, we gathered that the Federal Ministry of Health is about to acquire and install 10 new such machines in our cancer treatment centres to boost other equipment we have on ground now.”
Adewole said the essence of the organisation was to find a platform for the government and the private sector to buy into the awareness campaign on the disease on the continent.
He added that, “Awareness is the key to this disease and that is one thing that is lacking which the organisation is keen to bridge.”
Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) women leader, Mrs Josephine Anenih, the President of National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), Hajia Ramatu Usaman and the President of Medical Women Association of Nigeria, Dr Nma Wokocha and others assured that efforts would be made to enlighten the continent about the disease.

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