By Awyetu Asabe Hope
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has inaugurated an 18-member steering committee for the establishment of the Bayelsa Cancer Treatment and Research Centre.
Diri, represented by his deputy, Dr Peter Akpe, inaugurated the committee on Friday at the Government House, Yenagoa.
The governor said the high burden of cancer in the state, coupled with the health concerns associated with decades of oil pollution, necessitated the establishment of the centre.
He said breast, cervical and prostate cancers were affecting residents, with some patients travelling outside the state or country to access treatment.
“In Bayelsa, we carry an additional burden. Decades of oil pollution have left their mark on our land, our water, and we fear, on the health of our people,” he said.
Diri said the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission Report of 2023 had raised concerns about the long-term health consequences of oil pollution.
He described the proposed cancer centre as a health necessity, saying communities that bear the cost of the nation’s oil wealth should have access to adequate healthcare.
The governor charged the committee to assess the cancer burden in the state and recommend a suitable location, equipment, infrastructure, partnerships and financing options for the centre.
He also tasked the members with developing plans for qualified manpower, maintenance, training, accessibility and the steady supply of drugs and other medical consumables.
The Chairman of the committee and Commissioner for Health, Prof Seiyefa Brisibe, thanked the governor for the mandate, saying the cancer burden had imposed significant financial, physical and emotional costs on families.
Brisibe said many Bayelsans were forced to travel outside the state and country to access cancer diagnosis and treatment.
“The burden of cancer on communities is a reality that we can no longer afford to manage with half measures,” he said.
He pledged the committee’s commitment to working towards the establishment of a cancer treatment and research centre that would improve access to specialised care in the state.
Members of the committee include Dr Jones Stow, Prof Jumbo Johnbull, Dr Boboye Ifie, Dr Oluwadare Marcus, Dr James Omietimi, Dr Ebikapaye Okoyen, Dr Ngowari Torunana, Mrs Beatrice Olomiete, Hon Kingsley Kuku, Dr Ibimonye Porbeni and Mr Nimifagha Esindu.
Others are Prof Kelvin Kiridi, Dr Timipa Peregha-West, Magdalene Alabinte, Prof Beleudanyo Fente, Dr Elizabeth Obiorah and Dr Embeleakpo Apere.
