The Acting Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Dr Monica Eimunjeze, says the launch of the cyclotron and PET-CT scan by Me Cure Healthcare Limited for cancer care will reduce medical tourism in Nigeria.
According to her, the cyclotron and PET-CT scan being the first ever in West Africa were difficult to access until now, adding that the impact cannot be forgotten easily in Nigeria, West Africa, and the global oncology community.
Cyclotron is a device that produces PET-CT tracers and other radiopharmaceutical reagents that are used to detect the physiological activities of cancer cells in the body which is different from the conventional CT scan that detects only anatomical structure with less accuracy.
Eimunjeze disclosed this during the unveiling of the facility in Lagos, assuring that the facility would impact positively on outcomes for patients who have cancers.
She said, “The imaging facility can aid therapeutic interventions and clear visualisation of cancers that are at advanced stages.
“This will help guide physicians as they manage their patients and allow them to have targeted interventions, early detection, and better management of patients that have cancers.
“Before this facility was here, patients requiring this kind of intervention would leave the shores of Nigeria.”
Chairman of Me Cure Industries, Samir Udani, in his remarks said the arrival of the cyclotron would reverse medical tourism and reduce the stress and cost of cancer care in Nigeria.
“Hence, it is good news for the entire oncology patients, Nigeria and West Africa”, he added.
The services are expected to be provided by certified and experienced professionals and managed by Dr Adeoluwa Adeniji, who is the Chief Medical Director and Consultant Radiation/Clinical Oncologist, and Mr Daniel Kassegbama, who is the Chief Operating Officer with many years of experience in management processes.
