26 Men Die Daily Of Prostate Cancer In Nigeria

Founder and President of Men’s Health Foundation (MHF)- Ghana & Nigeria, Professor Dr. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu, has revealed that twenty six (26) Nigerian men die daily of prostate cancer.

According to him, the rate at which men diagnosed with prostate cancer die in Nigeria was very alarming.

Prof. Nyarkotey Obu, who is a prostate cancer researcher and a policy maker, made the revelation.

He said what was even more worrying about the Nigeria problem was the fact that awareness level of the disease (prostate cancer) was very low.

“In fact there is little awareness of prostate cancer in Nigeria compared to the kind of publicity my NGO-Men’s Health Foundation-has created in Ghana,” Prof. Nyarkotey Obu disclosed.

The low awareness of prostate cancer in Nigeria, Prof. Nyarkotey Obu, disclosed has compelled his non-governmental organisation (MHF) to spread it wings into Nigeria and help prevent more prostate cancer deaths.

“…In fact the rate at which men diagnosed with prostate cancer die in Nigeria is very alarming, and that is why MHF has formed the Nigerian branch. And through our Nigerian branch we aim to create awareness on the disease in all the States of Nigeria and also help prevent prostate cancer deaths in Nigeria,” Prof. Nyarkotey Obu emphasised.

The prostate cancer researcher further hinted that his NGO will also lobby the powers-that-be in Nigeria and push for Father’s Day to be recognised as National Prostate Cancer Day in Nigeria “like we are hoping to achieve in Ghana.”

According to Prof. Nyarkotey Obu, the launch of the Men’s Health Foundation Nigeria will come off on November 15, 2016 in Lagos.

The Coordinator of MHF-Nigeria, Samuel Larbi Ariyo, who was with Prof. Nyarkotey Obu, disclosed that since his branch was making inroads after a month’s of being in operation.

“…More prominent Nigerians including politicians, government officials have expressed interest in the project and are willing to support the NGO,” he noted.

He went on to reveal that the Nigerian branch of Men’s Health Foundation has an 8-member committee which is headed by Mr. Samuel Babalola.

“For now what we are basically doing is that we are feverishly preparing towards the official launch of the Nigerian branch of Men’s Health Foundation in Lagos which is slated for November 15, 2016,” Mr. Ariyo averred.

According to Dr. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu who is a research Professor of Prostate cancer & Holistic Medicine at Da Vinci College of Holistic Medicine, Cyprus further revealed that,

Prostate cancer is the number one cancer killer of Nigerian men! In Nigeria, prostate cancer has a mortality rate of over eighty percent (80%)! A recent report by World Health Organization (WHO) shows that within a period of four years, deaths from prostate cancer in Nigeria increased by almost 100 per cent. The report showed that Prostate cancer now kills 26 Nigerian men every day (up from 14 men every day).

This increase is evident from frequent reports in the media of prominent Nigerians that have died of the disease in recent times out of ignorance. The Nigerian prostate cancer statistics is alarming and outrageous, given the fact that prostate cancer is curable if detected early. He added.

Explaining What is responsible for the high mortality rate of prostate cancer in Nigeria and the black community, he explained that the answer is not far -fetched- lack of awareness and inadequate infrastructure and manpower for cancer prevention and treatment in Nigeria. We have relied too much on foreign research which is not beneficial because there is cancer disparity and until black scientist, Physicians, government, policy makers and researchers rise up we are unlikely to see any further headway. To improve prostate cancer survivor ship, it is important for every man to know his risk of prostate cancer as well as the signs and symptoms.

We will work with policy makers and other organizations to improve services delivery. We will research into the disease locally, provide support to those diagnosed, and provide training to health professionals and research into evidence based holistic medicine to address the side effect of conventional treatment.

There is urgent need to make prostate cancer screening widely available and accessible to all Nigerian men. He says “We cannot treat our way out of the prostate cancer problem. We need commitment to prevention and early detection is desperately needed in order to complement improved treatments and address the alarming rise in prostate cancer burden in the black community, the mortality rate is very high in Nigeria, for every six men diagnosed 5 will die leaving only one and it appears prostate cancer is a death sentence in Nigeria. He says.

On moving forward Dr. Nyarkotey says, “An excellent way of providing easily accessible prostate cancer screenings would be the deployment of Mobile Cancer Centres (MCC) which would take holistic health promotion to the grassroots of Nigeria and we have a plan in Nigeria as we expand our wings and services to other African countries to stop prostate cancer before it strikes as ignoring prostate cancer wont beat it. He concluded.