Buhari, Obasanjo, others canvass joint action against cancer

President Muhammadu Buhari and his predecessors in office, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), have canvassed concerted action against the spread of cancer in the country.

They spoke yesterday at the launch of the Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation and groundbreaking of the Goldcoast Dickson Cancer Centre at Toru Orua, Sagbama Local Council of Bayelsa State.

A statement by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, said the leaders commended his principal for taking the initiative to fight the scourge through emphasis on early detection and treatment, just as they pledged to support the foundation.

Represented by minister-designate, Dr. Chris Ngige, the president described the establishment of the centre as a step in the right direction geared at preventing avoidable deaths.

Chairman of the occasion, Gen. Abubakar, described the effort as a wonderful philanthropic gesture worthy of support.

He stressed that Nigeria was in an urgent need for a well-coordinated action against the disease that has ravaged communities nationwide.

Obasanjo on his part, praised Dickson for honouring his mother with the centre, noting that it would check the killer disease immensely.

Pledging support for the foundation, Jonathan agreed that the ailment had become a big problem in the society, urging collaborative efforts for its containment.

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, believed that the facility would check capital flight and medical tourism when completed.

He enjoined other leaders to emulate Dickson by investing in critical areas of the health sector.

The governor lauded his visitors for honouring him with their presence at the first anniversary of his mother’s passage.