Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, the wife of Ondo State governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, has said that lack of accurate data is the major problem hindering the prevention and control of breast cancer among women in Nigeria.
Akeredolu made this disclosure while speaking at the 4th international breast cancer symposium organised by Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN).
At the event were the National President of BRECAN, Ambassador Tolu Taiwo, survivors and other dignitaries.
Akeredolu while speaking at the event themed “Closing the Data Gap for Precision Cancer Control in Nigeria”, held in Ibadan on Thursday, revealed that the global burden of cancer both in terms of incidence and mortality is increasing rapidly.
She said that over 19 million new cases of breast cancer were recorded in 2020 with 10 million deaths worldwide and the figure keeps increasing on a yearly basis.
She said that lack of accurate data is the major obstacle in tackling the menace of breast cancer in the country.
She also revealed that lack of adequate number of cancer registries to collect continuous and complete data on cancer, number of cases, number presenting at specific stages, treatment options, number of survivors and motalities are what makes cancer programming difficult to implement in Nigeria.
Akeredolu, while speaking further however said that for Nigeria to control breast cancer and prevent it among the teeming women across the country, there is a need to have accurate data that would help produce efficient and effective cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment systems for improved cancer.
