The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has disclosed that the Federal Government spent not less than N1 trillion on cancer control in the last one year, as part of efforts to strengthen early detection, prevention and treatment of cancer across the country.

Bagudu made this known on Saturday during a 5.4-kilometre cancer awareness walk in Abuja, with the theme, “One Walk, One Fight – Walk Away Cancer,” organized by the Medicaid Cancer Foundation, which brought together cancer survivors, health advocates, political leaders and stakeholders in a united call for early detection and stronger government support.

According to the minister, about N350 billion was invested in establishing cancer centres across the six geopolitical zones, while over N300 billion was committed to procurement of cancer detection and treatment equipment, in addition to other allocations to the health sector to improve infrastructure and access to care.

He explained that the Federal Government has also made additional revenue available to state and local governments for cancer prevention, early detection and treatment, stressing that there is a need to hold them accountable for the judicious utilization of the funds provided for their constitutional responsibilities.

The minister commended the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), under the leadership of its President, Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, for its relentless and longstanding cancer awareness and sensitization campaigns, noting that cancer control remains one of the priority areas of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the health sector.

Speaking at the event, the President of the UICC and founder of Medicaid Cancer Foundation, Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, said the organization alongside other stakeholders has sustained the fight against cancer in Nigeria for over 12 years and will not relent, while calling for increased budgetary allocations to cancer prevention and treatment.

Other stakeholders including the Minister of State for Health, the President of the Cancer Society of Nigeria, Prof. Abidemi Omonisi, and survivors at the walk urged Nigerians to embrace regular screening, early presentation and healthy lifestyle modification, as proceeds from sales of branded Walk Away Cancer kits and 20 percent of profits from Pink October Pop-up sales will support patient assistance programmes.