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The Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), Dr. Patrick Dakum has stressed the need for funding cancer research to address the disease in Nigeria. Dr. Dakum said this during the just concluded International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE) 2nd Annual Scientific Symposium in Abuja.

“We are learning that to get a drug to treat most cancers, you must invest between 100 to 1 billion dollars over years. This is an investment in research alone, not yet in providing care and treatment for people. Nigeria needs to put money into solving local problems with local solutions. We are still grappling with ensuring that the person who needs malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV treatment gets it and 80% of that is still paid for from outside the country,” Dr Dakum said.

He said that many factors have led to poor treatment for cancer patients such as lack of skilled human resources and early retirement of more experienced physicians due to the retirement age.

“You don’t allow experienced people to leave, you ensure that the mentoring they have started with younger people is continued. For us at IHVN, this symposium is an opportunity for experience sharing, not just with experts from within Nigeria but with those from other countries like the United States.

We see an improved collaboration between scientists from the University of Maryland and Nigerian scientists, which is a win-win. They will tell you that they are not just here to teach but also to learn from local scientists. With experience sharing across all levels, we can look forward to better implementation and utilization of existing resources and structures to care for both infectious and non-infectious diseases,” the CEO said. 

Also at the symposium, Prof. King-David Terna Yawe, a breast surgeon and surgical oncologist, said that the incidence of cancers in the country is alarming and requires finances.

“It is right that the government has set up the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment  (NICRAT). It is also important to back up that body with the facilities to work and there has to be a good contribution from the government, from the non-governmental sector, from the industry and so on. Cancer is everybody’s business. One of the challenges that our generation faces is that as we try to conquer infectious diseases, we are opening the room for non-communicable diseases to take over and the statistics of the increasing incidence of cancer. Out of every ten people, one of them will come down with cancer. That means that we have to prepare for tomorrow,” he said. The IRCE 2nd Annual Scientific Symposium which held at the IHVN Campus in Abuja, attracted both local and international experts on sickle cell and cancers to discuss the theme, “Expanding Partnerships to Sickle Cell Disease and Cancer Research.”  

The Executive Director of the International Research Center of Excellence (IHVN) at the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), Prof. Alash’le Abimiku has said that health research should benefit Nigerians and give a better understanding of diseases.

Prof. Abimiku said this at the just concluded IRCE 2^nd Annual Scientific Symposium on sickle cell disease and cancers.

“The target of this symposium is to make sure that research in the country benefits the citizens of Nigeria. It is a strategic move to expand to non-communicable diseases because not all of the health challenges that we have in the country are a result of HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria. We need to look at non-communicable diseases and the reason that we are focusing on sickle cell disease is that it targets the black population.

We must benefit our population. Our target is to make sure that we understand the diseases, bring in international collaborators and investigators, and use our research findings to better inform how we can reduce the mortality and morbidity as a result of these two diseases.

On cancer, WHO has predicted that by 2050, the number of individuals who are dying as a result of cancer will double and most will be male. We hope that we can expand some more and join forces for more diagnosis and treatment to benefit the Nigerian citizens,” she said.

The IRCE Executive Director also stressed the need for better diagnostic tests, and education of the public and all stakeholders about prevention and treatment of both sickle cell and cancer.

“We need to focus on what we can do with diet, exercise, and a lot more to prevent cancer. I’m hoping that with meetings like this, we will bring more light to sickle cell and cancer,” she said.

A participant and researcher at the symposium, Catherine A. noted that research provides the evidence to guide the management of diseases including sickle cell disease andcancers.

“It is not about taking a child abroad for better health care. Health care research should gear up so that we can have children with sickle cell have little or no crisis.”

Another participant and speaker at the IRCE symposium, Dr Victoria Igbinomwanhia said that the meeting was enlightening and engaging on the “different concepts, challenges, enablers, barriers and strategies from the perspective of users, health care workers, implementers and recipients of healthcare services.”

Dr Igbinomwanhia who presented on the topic, “Leveraging the PEPFAR Program to Prevent Cancers – IHVN Experience,” said that the lessons learned at the meeting can be applied to sickle cell disease and cancer research.

The theme of the IRCE 2^nd Annual Scientific Symposium was, “Expanding Partnerships to Sickle Cell Disease and Cancer Research. The two-day meeting attracted experts from within and outside Nigeria including the Dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Dr. Mark T. Gladwin, and the Executive Director of the University of Maryland Marlene and Steward Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Taofeek Owonikoko.

The Executive Director of the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Taofeek Owonikoko has stressed the need for a national plan and policy to address the growing cancer challenge in the country.

Dr. Owonikoko said this at the International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE) 2^nd Annual Scientific Symposium on Sickle Cell and Cancers in the country.

He noted that “there are pockets of expertise around the different states of the country but it does not seem as if we have a national plan and policy to help build those pocket of expertise and infrastructure or a strategic plan on how to tackle that challenge in the next five, ten, twenty years.”

He added that there is a need for interaction among stakeholders and policy makers to make plans about cancer prevention, treatment and care.

Dr. Owonikoko, who is a specialist in medical oncology, hematology and internal medicine, made a presentation at the symposium on “Oncologic Health: Burden, Capacity and Benefits.”

According to Globocan 2020 Statistics, breast, prostrate and cervical cancers have the highest numbers of new cases and estimated number of deaths in Nigeria.

However, Dr Owonikoko encouraged patients not to lose hope. “The last thing that leaves a person is hope. There is always hope and hope is not just in terms of advanced treatment. The hope is that people care about the problems they have. We may not have solutions today but scientists are working day and night to find that solution.”

The second day of the symposium focused on oncology and cancer care and research. There were discussions on improving cancer research in Nigeria, expanding access to oncology care and diagnostic infrastructure for cancer research.

Dr. Owonikoko, who currently serves as an elected board member and treasurer-elect of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, chaired the roundtable panel discussion on cancer care research by private sector and researchers.

Also, at the symposium which held at the IHVN Campus in Abuja, IRCE Executive Director, Prof. Alash’le Abimiku said that researches should benefit the citizens of Nigeria.

“The focus of the conference on sickle cell and cancers is a strategic move to expand to non-communicable diseases because not all of the health challenges we have in the country is as a result of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. We are still working on infectious diseases that can cause outbreaks like COVID-19 but it is very important for us to look an non-communicable diseases,” she said.

Experts on Sickle Cell Disease and Cancers have converged to exchange ideas and promote collaborative efforts at the 2^ND Annual Scientific Symposium of the International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE).

At the two-day symposium, the Dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA, Dr. Mark Gladwin, said that Nigeria has the most babies born with Sickle Cell Disease than any country of the world.

Dr Gladwin, an expert in Sickle Cell Disease and Pulmonary Hypertension, added that “Often, Sickle Cell Disease is put on lower priority than HIV, malaria and tuberculosis because Africa faces many infectious health challenges. In the same way that we see that HIV is controlled with medications, medications are being developed for sickle cell. What is important is to identify a baby with sickle cell early.”

He recommended the use of hydroxyurea to reduce the damaging effects of sickle cell on organs and prevent complications that may occur in adulthood.

“Hydroxyurea has a very big effect. It improves survival and reduces painful attacks and organ damage. It is not a cure but it makes a significant impact,” the Dean said.

He noted that with the progress of science, more new therapies are being developed for sickle cell disease.

Dr. Gladwin said that the University of Maryland ‘s long standing partnership with Nigeria through the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) in HIV, tuberculosis and malaria will be leveraged upon to address non-communicable diseases like cancer, hypertension and sickle cell disease.

Earlier, IHVN Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Patrick Dakum welcomed both local and international experts to the symposium and said that the Institute is expanding its partnerships among public, private and faith-based organizations.

“In terms of partnerships, ever since we started in 2024, we engaged both the public and private sector. In terms of the grants that we are currently implementing with several actors, we are seeking partnerships with both local and international institutions,” Dr Dakum said.

IRCE Executive Director, Prof. Alash’le Abimiku expressed optimism that the meeting will foster relationships to drive scientific innovation and progress. She said the center will continually strive to be “a fertile ground for discovery, collaboration and development of young talents, while promoting ethical conduct of research for the benefit of local and international communities.”