The federal government has directed key health research institutions in the country to provide full support, including financial backing, for ongoing studies into a potential treatment for brain cancer.
Institutions mandated to participate include the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), and the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT).
The directive follows encouraging reports about a promising compound believed to be effective against several cancer types, particularly glioblastoma multiforme, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Adekunle Salako, issued the instruction during a virtual meeting with the leadership of the institutes and the Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training (CAMRET), a research unit of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. Dr. Salako described the discovery as a potential game-changer for Nigeria’s healthcare system and a significant stride towards achieving President Bola Tinubu’s health sector transformation agenda.