Non-Communicable Diseases: Oncologist Seeks More Attention to Preventive, Treatment Measures
An Oncologist, Dr Joseph Ehudu, has called on the Federal Government and stakeholders, to pay attention to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) with focus on treatment and preventive measures. Ehudu, also Managing Partner, Liberty-Life Medical Services, Okota Lagos, made the call in an interview on Thursday, in Lagos. He said that NCDs had continued to be major […]
An Oncologist, Dr Joseph Ehudu, has called on the Federal Government and stakeholders, to pay attention to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) with focus on treatment and preventive measures.
Ehudu, also Managing Partner, Liberty-Life Medical Services, Okota Lagos, made the call in an interview on Thursday, in Lagos.
He said that NCDs had continued to be major issues in Nigeria and were currently having negative impacts on the healthcare system.
Ehudu said that NCDs were now responsible for majority of global deaths, with cancer, being a leading cause of death.
According to him, most services from primary to tertiary care, do not have the right skills in handling NCDs.
“It is imperative that we focus on the challenge as it is becoming an epidemic.
“Cancer is one of the NCDs we have, which also include hypertension, chronic chest problems, renal diseases, diabetes, hepatitis and so on.
“There is an increase in the rate of deaths from hypertension, kidney diseases and cancer.
“Report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer says that, “there are over 18 million new cancer cases globally and 9.6 million cancer deaths, every year (about 26,000 cancer deaths daily) and this number is projected to rise.
“Sadly, 70% of cancer deaths occur in developing nations like Nigeria,” he said.
The Oncologist recommended routine medical checkups for early detection of NCDs such as cancers, diabetes, hypertension, and hepatitis.
According to him, early detection of such ailments will go a long way in helping to tackle and manage them.
“The earlier we do medical checkup, the earlier we report complaints, the better.
“Routine checkups can serve as either primary or secondary preventive measure to NCDs.
“It is a primary preventive measure in some cases, where it can prevent the occurrence of the disease, by picking up the precancerous lesions.
“A good example is cervical cancer; treatment of the precancerous lesions prevents the occurrence of the full-blown cancer.
“As a secondary preventive measure, it promotes early detection of the established disease and prompt treatment, “he said.
