Nigeria to launch pilot cancer drug access program

The Federal Ministry of Health of Nigeria and BIO Ventures for Global Health (BVGH), a non-profit organization, convened a Cancer Stakeholder meeting last week under the auspices of BVGH’s Africa Access Initiative (AAI) to finalize plans for a pilot cancer drug access program to combat Nigeria’s rapidly rising cancer burden.

The Ministry will be issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to pharmaceutical companies to kick-start the program.

“As Nigeria’s Minister of Health and an oncologist, I have personally witnessed the devastation that cancer has caused our citizens, and I will marshal all the resources of my office to prevent further needless suffering and death,” said Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, adding: “Collaborating with BVGH and leading academic and industry partners, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Pfizer, and Takeda, is critical for saving Nigerian cancer patients’ lives.”