HEALTHWISE
The President of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Prof. Abidemi Omonisi, has revealed that Nigeria is facing a severe shortage of clinical oncologists, with less than 80 specialists left in the country.
According to Omonisi, the shortage of clinical oncologists has resulted in an overwhelming patient-to-specialist ratio, with one clinical oncologist covering as many as 1,800 cancer patients.
Speaking exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise in commemoration of the 2025 World Cancer Day, the NCS president lamented that this ratio was far from the ideal recommendation of one clinical oncologist to cover between 250 to 500 cancer patients.
The don attributed the shortage of clinical oncologists to the japa syndrome, a term used to describe the migration of Nigerian healthcare professionals to other countries in search of better working conditions and remuneration.
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