Bayelsa State Governor, Sen. 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 at the Government House in Yenagoa at the weekend.
The governor described as unfair and unacceptable a situation where communities that bear the environmental and social costs of the nation’s oil wealth are left without adequate healthcare facilities to address the health challenges associated with oil-producing activities.
He said cancer was no longer a distant disease in Bayelsa communities, attributing growing concerns over the disease partly to the long-term effects of decades of oil pollution.
According to him, breast, cervical and prostate cancers have become increasingly prevalent, claiming the lives of residents, including people in their productive years.
Diri said many cancer-related deaths were linked not necessarily to the absence of treatment options but to late diagnosis, high treatment costs and the need for patients to travel outside the state to access specialised care.
He said, “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.”
The governor cited concerns raised by the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission Report of 2023 over the long-term health consequences of oil pollution.
He said the proposed cancer centre was therefore not a luxury but a necessary response to the health needs of the people.
Diri charged the committee to undertake an empirical assessment of the cancer burden in the state and recommend an appropriate location for the facility.
He also tasked members with identifying the required equipment and infrastructure, developing partnership and financing options, and planning for the recruitment and training of competent manpower.
Other areas of responsibility, he said, include maintenance of the facility, accessibility, and ensuring a steady supply of drugs and other medical consumables.
Responding on behalf of the committee, its Chairman and Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, thanked the governor for entrusting them with the responsibility of establishing what he described as a world-class cancer treatment centre in the state.
Brisibe said the inauguration demonstrated the administration’s commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of Bayelsans.
He said the burden of cancer had imposed significant financial, physical and emotional costs on families, particularly those forced to travel outside the state or country to obtain diagnostic and treatment services.
“The burden of cancer on communities is a reality that we can no longer afford to manage with half measures,” Brisibe said.
He assured that the committee would approach its mandate with the required expertise and commitment to delivering a functional cancer treatment and research facility for the state.
Members of the steering 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.