FG Begins Cash Payment To Verified Cancer Patients In Nigeria
Dr. Nafisat Makinɗe, Abuja
The Federal Government has announced that verified cancer patients under its newly launched Social Determinants of Health Fund will receive at least N100,000 each to help cover non medical costs associated with treatment.
The information was contained in a statement issued by Ado Bako, Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, following the launch of the initiative in Abuja.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, said the government has committed an initial N50 million to the fund, which is designed to support vulnerable cancer patients facing transportation, accommodation, feeding and other social challenges that often prevent them from accessing or completing treatment.
According to him, more than 600 cancer patients have applied for support under the programme, while over 200 applicants have already been verified through a screening process involving medical directors and attending physicians in their healthcare facilities.
“All verified beneficiaries will receive a minimum of N100,000 each,” Salako said, adding that payments would be made directly to beneficiaries to ensure transparency and accountability.
He said the fund was established to complement existing government interventions in cancer care and address social and economic barriers that continue to affect treatment outcomes despite investments in healthcare infrastructure and subsidised cancer services.
Salako said the initiative followed recommendations by the National Cancer Control Plan Technical Working Group, led by Prof. Folakemi Odedina, Global Director of Oncology at Mayo Clinic, and Prof. Malami Aliyu, Director General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment.
The minister reiterated the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to improving cancer prevention, early detection, treatment and patient support, stressing that a cancer diagnosis should not become a death sentence because of financial hardship.
He also called on corporate organisations, philanthropists and well meaning Nigerians to support the fund through donations and partnerships to expand assistance for cancer patients.
Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, described the initiative as a major step toward improving cancer care outcomes in Nigeria.
She said health outcomes are influenced not only by medical treatment but also by factors such as transportation, accommodation, nutrition, loss of income and access to social support.
According to Kachollom, the programme will help address these challenges and support implementation of the Nigeria National Cancer Control Plan 2026-2030.
She said the launch demonstrates a shift from policy intentions to practical interventions that address the realities faced by cancer patients and their families, while reinforcing the need for a whole of government and whole of society approach to cancer control.
Kachollom said the ministry would continue to expand access to quality and affordable cancer care through investments in treatment infrastructure, free screening programmes, subsidised treatment services and the Cancer Health Fund, which has supported thousands of Nigerians.
She called on philanthropists, corporate organisations, development partners and professional associations to support the initiative, noting that stronger partnerships would help more patients overcome barriers to accessing treatment and care.