Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema,
has over the weekend reiterated that about 80,000 people in the country
die from
cancer every year.
Speaking at this year’s edition of the NSE Corporate Challenge in
Lagos, he said the disease has become one of the biggest killers of
Nigerians as 100,000 new cases are diagnosed yearly.
According to him, the disease’s survival rate in the country is not
good with reasons being attributed to lack of routine annual test, which
results to late detection in patients.
The five-kilometer race which was dubbed “e-Race Cancer” kicked off
from the Muri Okunola Park in Victoria Island, Lagos, through Ozumba
Mbadiwe Road to Akin Adesola Street and back to the park was geared
towards raising funds to purchase 37 Mobile Cancer Centers (MCCs), with
each valued at $613,000 (about N178 million).
The MCCs he said would afford accessibility to people to test and be
diagnosed early if the need be, as this can enhance early treatment,
“this way we will be able to reduce those ratios and make it better.”
Onyema pointed out that though the major aim is to get tested first,
but the motive also covers the support of state of the art facilities
that can handle management and treatment of the disease in cases of
referrals.
“This is a large efforts, and that is why we are supporting Committee
Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) and partnering many
organizations to work from end to end on this because is very
important,” he added.
In his address to the participants, he said N22 million was raised
from the race last year and appealed to the corporate world to give more
support the course.
A cancer survivor, Mary Ede while sharing her story urged people to
go for regular check ups and tests as she was picked at the early stage
of the disease while on routine check up.
She also encouraged patients to be strong and always positive, as treatment at early detection is achievable.
In the same, host of the Nigerian version of ‘Who Wants to be a
Millionaire,’ Frank Edoho, who was the master of ceremony for the race
against cancer told The Guardian that the motive is early detection
saves life, “ and that is why we are here not only to create awareness
but to raise money to produce more mobile cancer units to reduce the
prevalence and death rates of the disease in Nigeria.”
The winner of this year’s race Mr. Paul Alabi of Aluko and Oyebode’s
Law Firm while commending NSE for its efforts noted that it was a good
platform not only for cancer awareness but also to promote culture of
exercise among corporate people.
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