World Cancer Day Graphics
Kaduna-based non-profit, Hassy’s Haven Foundation, has urged urgent intervention to tackle the rising burden of cancer among poor women in Nigeria, warning that poverty, stigma and weak access to care are driving avoidable deaths.
The call was made on Wednesday as the world marked World Cancer Day, observed annually on February 4 to raise awareness and promote action against cancer.
The Foundation said many Nigerian women still arrive at hospitals when the disease is already advanced, despite the availability of treatment options. It blamed late diagnosis on poor access to screening, limited public awareness and the high cost of care.
According to the group, cancer is no longer a distant health concern but a daily reality that is tearing families apart, draining household incomes and cutting short the lives of women in their most productive years.
Speaking on the significance of the day, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hassy’s Haven Foundation, Hussaina Yakubu, described cancer as both a medical and social justice issue.
“Too many women are dying, not because cancer cannot be treated, but because they are poor, unheard and unsupported. No woman should have to choose between feeding her children and accessing cancer care,” she said.
Yakubu noted that many patients battle the disease alone, adding that emotional support and community understanding are as important as medical treatment.
She explained that the Foundation was set up in memory of her late twin sister, Hassana ‘Hassylove’ Yakubu, who lived with cancer for eight years before her death.
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“My sister fought cancer with dignity, strength and hope. We turned our pain into purpose by standing with women who have no voice, no access and no safety net,” she said.
The Foundation said its work includes emotional support, advocacy, public sensitisation and financial assistance for indigent female cancer patients, as well as widows and orphans affected by the disease.
It called on federal, state and local governments to prioritise cancer prevention by investing in affordable and widespread screening programmes and strengthening public health education.
The group also urged the private sector, health institutions and development partners to subsidise treatment costs and expand cancer services beyond major cities to rural and underserved areas.
Yakubu said decentralising cancer care would reduce late diagnoses and improve survival rates among women who currently lack access to specialised health facilities.
She also appealed to the public to help break the silence and stigma around cancer, warning that fear and misinformation often stop women from seeking help early.
“On this World Cancer Day, we are not just wearing ribbons; we are demanding action. Cancer care must be a right, not a privilege,” she said.
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