David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, DUFUHS Uburu in Ohaozara LGA of Ebonyi State has treated "207 cancer patients" within 4 years of its inception.
The Vice Chancellor of DUFUHS, Professor Jesse Uneke who made this known during the official flag-off of the university's ultra-modern cancer centre on Saturday, said the institution was established with the central goal for research, teaching and community development.
Uneke said, 88 (42.5%) out of the 207 cancer patients were males while 119(57.5%) were females, adding that 107(51.7%) of them were aged people between 40 years and 69 years old.
He noted that the commonest cancers were breast cancer 53(25.6%), prostrate cancer 43(20.8%), cancer of the cervix 25(12.1%) and cancer of head/neck 32(15.5%).
He described DUFUHS Cancer Center as a state-of-the-art centre of excellence for cancer research, training and patient care, which operates with a multi-disciplinary team of experts specializing in conducting research and training on cancer-related issues and caring for people who suffer from cancer disease.
He further stated that the centre conducts and supports research, training, health information dissemination and other programmes related to the cause, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cancer, rehabilitation from cancer and the continuing care of cancer patients and their families.
The Vice Chancellor said a total of 127,763 new cancer cases were reported in Nigeria according to the 2022 report of the World Health Organization Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCON), noting that 48,096(37.6%) of them were males while 79,667(62.4%) were females.
The report, in his words, indicated that the number of deaths at 79,542 of which 32,905(41.4%) were males while 46,637(58.6%) were females. He added that the top three leading cancers in males in Nigeria ranked by the number of death, are prostrate, colorectum and liver cancers, but the top three leading cancer death in females are breast, cervix uteri and colorectum cancers.
He pointed out the key functions of the DUFUHS Cancer Centre included research and development in cancer and related diseases, diagnosis and treatment of cancer and related diseases, training of medical and allied health sciences students, capacity building and training, community outreach and enlightenment programmes.
He said other functions of the cancer centre also included collaboration and partnership building and hosting of conferences, the establishment of financial assistance (FAPs), counselling and provision of psycho-social support, provision of consultancy services by experienced oncologists, radiographers, medical physicists and biomedical engineers, the establishment of DUFUHS Journal of Cancer Research and other research dissemination channels.
He commended President Bola Tinubu and Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State for their tremendous support to the university, and equally expressed optimism that the centre would contribute in large measures for the advancement of scientific research and training in cancer speciality and for the improvement of the treatment of cancer leading to a better society for all human races.
Recalled that President Tinubu represented by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umah during the flagging off the cancer centre, commended the Vice Chancellor, Professor Jesse Uneke and the management of the university for having been committed to making the institution a centre of excellence both in its academic and infrastructure development.
