By Justina Auta, NAN
Stakeholders in the health sector have intensified calls for improved access to healthcare services in rural communities, highlighting disparities in cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survival rates across Nigeria.
They made the call on Sunday at a virtual meeting marking the sixth edition of the “Dear Doctor” series, an annual gathering of health experts, advocates, and partners to boost childhood cancer awareness nationwide.
The event was organised by Okapi Children Cancer Foundation to provide a platform for in-depth discussions on childhood cancer, its burden, gaps in care delivery, and strategies to improve outcomes.
Dr John Balogun, pediatric oncologist at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, said survival exceeded 80 per cent in high-income countries, but fewer than two in 10 survive in low-income settings.
“Where a child is born should not determine whether that child survives cancer. It should not be a death sentence,” he said, emphasising urgent need for equitable healthcare access.
Balogun identified delays in seeking, reaching, and receiving care as critical barriers, citing cultural beliefs, poor awareness, long travel distances, and financial constraints as key factors affecting patients.
He said even when families identified appropriate facilities, transportation costs and out-of-pocket payments often prevented timely access to treatment, especially among rural dwellers facing multiple economic and geographic challenges.
He said a severe shortage of specialists, revealing Nigeria had only about eight trained pediatric oncologists serving a population exceeding 200 million people, limiting access to quality cancer care services.
“No matter how effective chemotherapy is, if a child cannot get to the hospital, they cannot benefit from it. Then, even when they arrive, there is shortage of specialists,” he said.
Balogun added that up to 80 per cent of rural families first consulted traditional or religious healers, underscoring the need to engage them as partners in early detection and referral systems.
“We must meet patients where they first seek help and transform traditional and religious healers into first responders rather than competitors,” he said, calling for inclusive healthcare approaches nationwide.
He urged alignment with the World Health Organization’s Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, which targeted 60 per cent survival by 2030, warning progress would stall if rural populations remained underserved.
He advocated adopting a hub-and-spoke model linking primary healthcare centres and rural hospitals with tertiary facilities like UATH to improve early detection, referral systems, and treatment outcomes nationwide.
Balogun called for integrating childhood cancer care into the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to reduce catastrophic spending, noting many families spend more than 40 per cent of their income on treatment.
He recommended transport and nutrition support for patients, establishment of clear referral pathways, and real-time tracking systems to prevent loss of patients within the healthcare delivery system.
He emphasised community engagement, destigmatisation of childhood cancer, and use of community navigators to support patients through care, urging stakeholders to ensure equitable and accessible treatment services nationwide.
Balogun urged stakeholders to adopt a unified approach ensuring the “right treatment for the right child at the right time, regardless of location,” to improve survival outcomes significantly.
“If we do nothing, we risk losing all affected children. But if we act collectively, we can save lives, change outcomes, and ensure no child dies due to inability to pay,” he said.
Prof. Janet Poole, guest speaker and pediatric oncologist, said childhood cancers affected individuals from infancy to 19 years, explaining key issues during her presentation titled “Childhood Cancer Simplified” session.
She said leukemia, lymphomas, brain tumours, and retinoblastoma were common childhood cancers, noting they could be treated and cured if detected early and appropriate medical interventions were accessed promptly.
She explained cancer symptoms might resemble common illnesses, urging immediate checks for persistent fever, unexplained lumps, swelling, fatigue, or weight loss among children showing unusual or prolonged health conditions.
“If your child is being treated for a condition and does not improve, you should go back to the doctor for more investigation,” she said, urging vigilance among parents.
Dr Margaret Olokpo, clinical psychologist, speaking on mental health during cancer treatment, urged parents not to overexert themselves while caring for children, stressing importance of emotional wellbeing support.
Asmau Smaila, Associate Director, Sustainable and Government Relations at IHS Nigeria Ltd, emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to address systemic challenges and strengthen healthcare delivery nationwide.
Dr Kemi Adekanye, founder of Okapi Children Cancer Foundation, said the event focused on public education, early diagnosis, advocacy, and support for families affected by childhood cancer nationwide.
“We also discussed the importance of access to care, and inequities surrounding care in rural communities,” she added, stressing need for inclusive healthcare interventions and sustained policy attention.
She said more than 130 participants attended, including healthcare professionals, cancer survivors, patient advocates, media representatives, and government officials, reflecting broad commitment to addressing childhood cancer challenges in Nigeria. (NAN)
