Olusegun Alatise, the South-West coordinator of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, says cancer is no longer a death sentence, calling for improvement in its care quality.

Mr Alatise stated this at a workshop organised by NICRAT for researchers, oncologists and healthcare professionals across the South-West region, held at the Obafemi Awolowo University on Thursday in Ile-Ife, Osun.

The NICRAT coordinator reiterated the importance of homegrown expertise and commitment.

“We have made up our minds to stay here and fix what needs fixing. We must raise a new generation of researchers who share this vision and can drive improvements in cancer care quality across the country,” said Mr Alatise. “Established under the NICRAT Establishment Act of 2017, the institute plays a pivotal role in leading national efforts in cancer prevention, treatment and research.”

By bolstering institutional capacity, providing targeted education, and funding promising research, NICRAT aims to create a ripple effect that can significantly reduce the nationwide cancer burden, noted Mr Alatise.

According to him, as Nigeria charts a future in which cancer is no longer a death sentence, efforts like SINCCAR offer a glimmer of hope and a roadmap for action.

Mr Alatise described the SINCCAR project as a long-term investment in Nigeria’s fight against cancer.

Earlier, Nwamaka Lasebikan, director of research and innovation at NICRAT, said this phase of the SINCCAR project was all about building capacity.

Ms Lasebikan noted that SINCCAR would address the specific institutional gaps identified in earlier assessments.

According to her, the SINCCAR project comprises an assessment of institutional capacity and gap identification, capacity-building training for researchers across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, and grant provision to support the implementation of cancer research projects.

She maintained that the initiative was not merely academic but a bridge between research and real-life public health interventions.

Ms Lasebikan said that NICRAT aimed to train researchers in the South-West researchers to fight cancer and strengthen institutional capacity for research and implementation in the country.

(NAN)