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Toyin Adebayo
The Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS) has raised the alarm over the growing financial hardship, social stigma, and inadequate post-treatment care faced by cancer survivors across the country, calling for urgent government intervention and stronger support systems.
Speaking at the 2026 National Cancer Survivors’ Day (NCSD) celebration and national flag-off ceremony in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the NCS, Abidemi Omonisi, said surviving cancer should not mark the end of support for patients, noting that many survivors continue to battle economic, physical, emotional, and social challenges long after treatment.
Omonisi disclosed that the society has launched a National Cancer Intervention Fund (NCIF) aimed at mobilising N5 billion to support cancer diagnosis and treatment for cancer patients and survivors nationwide.
According to him, the fund is currently at the resource mobilisation stage with support from the World Health Organization.
He said: “Many cancer survivors in Nigeria exhaust their savings, incur debts, or struggle to meet basic needs while attempting to access essential follow-up care.
Surviving cancer does not mark the end of the journey. For many survivors, life after treatment presents a new set of challenges that often receive inadequate attention.”
The NCS boss noted that despite improvements in cancer diagnosis and treatment globally, survivors in Nigeria continue to grapple with high out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, limited health insurance coverage, loss of income, chronic health complications, anxiety, depression, and fear of cancer recurrence.
He also lamented the persistence of social stigma surrounding cancer, saying misconceptions linking the disease to curses, witchcraft, or punishment continue to fuel discrimination and isolation in some communities.
“Survivors may experience rejection, diminished social support, and negative attitudes that affect their reintegration into society,” he said.
The society further expressed concern over the limited access to survivorship care across the country, citing inadequate rehabilitation services, shortage of specialist oncology personnel, poor access to palliative care, physiotherapy, pain management services, and the absence of structured survivorship programmes.
According to Omonisi, survivors in rural and underserved communities face even greater difficulties due to long travel distances, transportation costs, and limited access to specialised healthcare facilities.
To address the challenges, the NCS issued what it termed the “Uyo 2026 Declaration,” calling for the full implementation of a National Cancer Survivorship Framework under the National Strategic Cancer Control Plan (2026–2030).
The declaration also advocated expanded health insurance coverage for comprehensive cancer treatment and rehabilitation services, increased investment in oncology infrastructure, establishment of financial assistance and social protection mechanisms for survivors, workplace policies to prevent discrimination, and increased funding for cancer survivorship research.
The society also threw its weight behind the recently launched Social Determinants of Health Fund by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, designed to address social barriers limiting access to cancer care across the country.
The 2026 National Cancer Survivors’ Day was commemorated under the theme, “Living Beyond Cancer: Survivorship, Support and System Strengthening.”
Omonisi reaffirmed the society’s commitment to ensuring that cancer survivors not only survive but thrive through access to quality healthcare, psychosocial support, economic security, and social inclusion.
“Today, we celebrate life. We celebrate resilience. We celebrate hope. To every cancer survivor across Nigeria, your courage inspires us, your journey matters, and your voice must continue to shape the future of cancer care in our nation,” he said.
