Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Wednesday donated a mobile cancer centre worth N365million for the diagnosis and treatment of residents afflicted with cancer-related diseases.
Ambode handed over the facility to representatives of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP), a non- governmental organisation in the forefront of cancer awareness, at the Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja.
The governor said the gesture was in fulfilment of the promise he made in June 2016 to join the fight against cancer.
He said it was a confirmation of the commitment of his administration to improve on the healthcare system and give hope to residents who might not have the wherewithal to go for diagnosis and treatment.
“What we have that we are donating today to this committee is a mobile clinic that deals with issues that relate to advocacy and treatment of cancer patients.
“Because we do not have the financial resources to have cancer centres placed in all locations in Lagos, we decided to go for this mobile cancer centre.
“What this does is that we can reach out to every community and every cancer patient; we can give hope back to those who are hopeless,” Ambode said.
While congratulating the CECP for its tremendous passion in the campaign against cancer, Ambode said the facility would go a long way to deal with the cancer scourge.
He said that the long-term plan of his administration was to have e-mobile centres across the state that would aid early detection, diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
“The operation of this particular unit will be supported by us, and then we will support the daily running to ensure that it is on the road every day looking for cancer patients to bring them back to life,” he said.
Earlier, Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, said in a period where diseases like cancer were fast becoming epidemic, the donation of the mobile cancer centre was a direct response of the present administration to provide a stop-gap.
In her remarks, Executive Secretary of CECP, Dr Abia Nzelu, thanked Ambode, saying the gesture was a testament to the government’s love for Lagosians.
“We are indeed grateful for the generosity you have shown and the love and passion you have shown towards the people of Lagos State, particularly with regards to this cancer menace,” Nzelu said.
She said the mobile cancer centre, fitted with digital equipment, would tackle the double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, with specific focus on cancer.
