A cancer patient accessing treatment at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja, has taken to TikTok to expose the challenges faced by patients and healthcare workers during the just concluded nationwide doctors’ strike.
Her video, which has gone viral, details the dire conditions in which both patients and medical staff operate, and the urgent need for government intervention.
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According to the patient, with the username Kate_The_Socialite, her medical team at FMC, Jabi, are highly skilled and dedicated to their work.
However, she noted that the staff operate in poorly equipped facilities and are often underpaid, receiving little or no remuneration for the high-risk work they perform daily.
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She highlighted the hospital’s inadequate infrastructure, saying that patients frequently wait in corridors exposed to the elements while waiting for appointments.
The patient noted that the oncology unit is extremely small, accommodating both staff and patients within a space she described as “the size of a gate man’s room.”
According to her, until recently, there was no designated ward for chemotherapy, forcing patients to move between general wards to receive treatment.
The patient also observed that the cost of care is high, even though the facilities remain under-resourced.
She urged the Nigerian government to intervene, calling for the proper payment of doctors’ salaries, the improvement of healthcare workers’ welfare, and the upgrading of hospital facilities.
She also emphasised the urgent need for systemic changes to ensure that both doctors and patients can access safe and effective care.
Challenges Across Nigeria
Beyond the situation at FMC Jabi, cancer patients across the country continue to face significant barriers to care. Many grapple with long delays before diagnosis due to limited screening services, inconsistent power supply that affects treatment schedules, and frequent shortages of essential drugs.
For those who travel long distances to access the few functioning cancer centres, the financial burden from transportation to accommodation, often becomes as overwhelming as the illness itself.
Patients also report struggles with the emotional toll of navigating a system that is overstretched and under-resourced.
Many rely heavily on family members for basic support during treatment, while others are forced to postpone or abandon therapy completely because of rising costs.
FMC Jabi not yet a designated cancer centre’
In a reaction to the video, the Director General of National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Usman Aliyu, highlighted ongoing efforts by the federal government to strengthen cancer care nationwide.
Mr Aliyu said the concerns raised are being reviewed but noted that the facility is not one of the country’s designated Cancer Centres of Excellence.
He said the centres, spread across the six geopolitical zones, represent Nigeria’s first set of fully equipped, first-class cancer treatment hubs, where the federal government has invested in advanced infrastructure, modern equipment, and specialised training for oncology professionals.
He added that although FMC Jabi is not on the list, NICRAT has entered into a partnership with the facility through a new Preventive Oncology Programme aimed at gradually strengthening cancer services in the Federal Capital Territory.
PREMIUM TIMES reported in May that three new cancer centres had been completed at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina; University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Nsukka; and University of Benin Teaching Hospital. The facilities were set to be commissioned on 29 May.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, said the centres are the first phase of what is projected to be the largest chain of oncology and diagnostic centres in West Africa, serving nearly 2,000 oncology patients and 350,000 diagnostic clients annually.
In July, Mr Pate revealed that Nigeria records approximately 127,000 cancer cases each year, resulting in about 80,000 deaths.
He described non-communicable diseases such as cancer as “one of the fastest-growing contributors to the country’s disease burden.”
Investments in equipment, workforce, and cancer surveillance
NICRAT said since its establishment, cancer care has received significant federal attention, including, for the first time in Nigeria’s history, a dedicated budget line for cancer control.
According to the institute, this commitment has translated into concrete investments, particularly the procurement of state-of-the-art oncology equipment to strengthen cancer centres across the country.
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Beyond infrastructure, NICRAT said it is also prioritising the development of a robust oncology workforce. This includes continuous professional training for doctors, nurses, radiographers, physicists, biomedical engineers, and cancer registrars, aimed at improving the quality of care available to patients.
The institute added that it is expanding population-based cancer registries and digital reporting systems to generate more accurate data for planning, research, and national surveillance, an area long identified as a major gap in Nigeria’s cancer response.
On access to essential medicines, Mr Aliyu said the agency is working with partners to make cancer drugs more affordable and reliable through regulatory harmonisation and initiatives such as the Nigerian Cancer Access Partnership (NCAP) and the National Cancer Health Fund (NCHF).
While acknowledging the frustrations raised in the viral video, NICRAT appealed for patience and assured cancer patients that the federal government remains committed to improving and transforming cancer care nationwide.
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