Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federal Government has launched a N50 million Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) Fund to support vulnerable cancer patients struggling with non-medical expenses that often prevent them from starting or completing treatment. The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, announced the initiative on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at the official flag-off ceremony in Abuja.
The fund is designed to help patients overcome barriers such as transportation costs, accommodation expenses, feeding, and inadequate social support — indirect costs that frequently derail cancer care. “Many cancer patients still find it difficult to initiate and complete treatment due to their inability to bear the cost of feeding, transportation and accommodation, especially in urban areas where services are provided,” Salako said.
According to the minister, more than 600 cancer patients have already applied for assistance, while over 200 applicants have been verified through a screening process involving medical directors and attending physicians at their treatment centres. Each verified beneficiary will receive at least N100,000 to help offset non-medical treatment costs, with disbursements made directly to patients to ensure transparency and accountability.
“The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will provide fifty million naira as government’s initial contribution to the Social Determinants of Health Fund for cancer patients,” Salako declared. He noted that while the government has invested significantly in cancer care infrastructure, treatment subsidies, and public awareness, many patients still abandon or delay care because of hidden costs that disproportionately affect low-income and vulnerable Nigerians.
The initiative emerged from recommendations made by the Technical Working Group (TWG) on Nigeria’s National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP) 2026–2030. The TWG, chaired by Professor Folakemi Odedina, Global Director of Oncology at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, and co-chaired by Professor Malami Aliyu, Director-General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), identified social determinants of health as a major driver of poor treatment outcomes. Salako commended the TWG members for their commitment and revealed that they had made personal donations amounting to millions of naira to help launch the initiative.
The SDoH Fund complements existing government interventions such as the Cancer Health Fund, Cancer Access Partnership, Vulnerable Group Fund, and the Nigeria Cancer Society Cancer Intervention Fund. Beyond government funding, the initiative is expected to attract contributions from corporate organisations, high-net-worth individuals, and philanthropic donors to bridge financing gaps in cancer care. The minister urged the fund’s managers to ensure due diligence, transparency, and accountability in its administration.
The launch coincides with the global observance of Cancer Survivors Month, celebrated every June to honour people living with and beyond cancer while drawing attention to the challenges they continue to face. Salako reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to reducing Nigeria’s cancer burden by 50 per cent by 2030 through expanded prevention, screening, and treatment services, and assured patients that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is determined to ensure that a cancer diagnosis does not become a death sentence.
Addressing cancer patients across the country, the minister said: “To fellow Nigerians battling one cancer diagnosis or another, I want to assure you that this administration is committed to ensuring that your diagnosis does not become a death sentence. We are expanding treatment infrastructure, subsidising chemotherapy and radiotherapy, promoting early diagnosis through free screening services and providing support to help patients access care.”
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