The Nigerian Senate has raised alarm over the upsurge of cancer cases recorded in the country.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuoso, made the observation on Monday at a public hearing on the National Centre for Cancer Research and Treatment Bill.
He expressed worry over the high rate of cancer cases that have been recorded and the number of lives lost in the country.
Senator Tejuoso explained that Nigeria has recorded more than two million cases of cancer annually, lamenting that about 100,000 to 500,000 new cases are being registered every year.
He added that the proposed bill seeks to provide for the establishment of the National Centre for Cancer Research and Treatment for in-depth research into cancer and its treatment for the benefit of Nigerians.
The House of Representatives had in November 2015, voiced its concern over the increasing cases of cancer in Nigeria and the inadequate equipment for screening and treating the disease.
Having noted that approximately 100 per 100,000 Nigerians die from cancer yearly, the House, at the time, urged the Ministry of Health to review the National Health Insurance Scheme and integrate cancer treatment.
