NIGERIA / WORLD CANCER DAY

Cancer is often seen as a disease of the rich world, but in fact three quarters of all cancer deaths occur in developing countries - the equivalent of a jumbo jet crashing every hour - and the numbers are rising. IAEA

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:03:22
• Production Date: 3 February 2010
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY - IAEA
• Subject Topical: HEALTH SERVICES; DISEASE PREVENTION; DISEASE CONTROL
• Geographic Subject: NIGERIA
• MAMS Id: U100203f

Description

STORY: NIGERIA / WORLD CANCER DAY
TRT: 3.22
SOURCE: INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA)
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: DECEMBER 2009, NATIONAL HOSPITAL ABUJA, NIGERIA

Shotlist

1. Close up, cancer patient Saadatu Usaman
2. Med shot, cancer patient Saadatu Usaman in hospital bed
3. Close Up, cancer drugs
4. Close Up, syringes
5. Close up, cancer patient Saadatu Usaman
6. Close up, hand of cancer patient Saadatu Usaman
7. Close up, cancer patient Saadatu Usaman
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Saadatu Usaman, cancer patient:
“Cancer has changed my life so dramatically. I’m no longer the Saadatu of yesterday, who could work 24 hours without getting tired. When I was at school I read very well, day and night without stop. But now I can’t even do that. I can’t do anything.”
9. Close up, nurse standing next to Saadatu Usaman’s bed
10. Med shot, cancer patient Saadatu Usaman in hospital bed and nurse next to her
11. Med shot, street scene in Abuja
12. Wide shot, hospital personnel walking along hospital corridors
13. Wide shot, entrance of Block F, Oncology/Nuclear medicine at National Hospital
14. Med shot, National Hospital sign
15. Med shot, street scene Abuja
16. Wide shot, billboard on prevention of Cancer of Cervix through cancer screening
17. Wide shot, entrance National Hospital
18. Close up, Dr. Festus Igbinoba, Chief Consultant, Radiology and Oncology at National Hospital
19. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dr. Festus Igbinoba, Chief Consultant, Radiology and Oncology at National Hospital in Abuja, Nigeria
“Even when they come and you now want to treat the patient, there is the issue of finance. We have a lot of patients we can do something for, but they will tell you ‘Sorry doctor, there is no money’.”
20. Close up, hands of hospital staff with a medical file
21. Med shot, Dr. Festus Igbinoba, Chief Consultant, Radiology and Oncology at National Hospital
22. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Festus Igbinoba, Chief Consultant, Radiology and Oncology at National Hospital in Abuja, Nigeria:
“The equipment aspect of it we need to address as well, because a patient, assuming they manage to come here early, and you don’t have the right equipment, you are handicapped.”
23. Close up, physician examining a cancer patient
24. Close up, glass window and physician examining a cancer patient can be seen through it
25. Close up, radiotherapy equipment
26. Med shot, control panel of radiotherapy equipment
27. Close up, control panel of radiotherapy equipment
28. Close up, damaged radiotherapy machine
29. Med shot, Dr. Festus Igbinoba, Chief Consultant, Radiology and Oncology and two medical staff at National Hospital
30. Med shot, Dr. Festus Igbinoba, Chief Consultant, Radiology and Oncology; two medical staff and cancer patient at National Hospital
31. Close up, radiotherapy unit
32. Close up, control panel of radiotherapy equipment
33. Med shot, medical staff handling a radiotherapy unit
34. Close up, cancer patient Saadatu Usaman
35. SOUNDBITE (English) Saadatu Usaman, Cancer patient:
“I have a dream to get up, to get out of this sickness, to be what I’m destined to be. I’m a graduate but I can’t work. I can’t go anywhere.”
36. Med shot, medical staff handling a radiotherapy unit
37. Close up, radiotherapy equipment screen
38. Close up, cancer patient Saadatu Usaman

Storyline

Twenty-two-year-old Saadatu Usaman was beating her cancer when the money for the treatment ran out. Now it spread to her chest, and the new drugs she needs cost even more.
Saadatu’s cancer has gone too far to be treated by surgery or radiotherapy, so chemotherapy here at the National Hospital in the Nigerian capital Abuja is the only option.

SOUNDBITE (English) Saadatu Usaman, cancer patient:
“Cancer has changed my life so dramatically. I’m no longer the Saadatu of yesterday, who could work 24 hours without getting tired. When I was at school I read very well, day and night without stop. But now I can’t even do that. I can’t do anything.”

Cancer is often seen as a disease of the rich world, but in fact three quarters of all cancer deaths occur in developing countries – the equivalent of a jumbo jet crashing every hour – and the numbers are rising.

Here in the developing world, a lack of preventive measures, a lack of diagnosis and a lack of treatment mean that literally millions of people who could be treated in the West are dying for lack of care.

Cancers here often stem from other diseases that could be controlled, such as human papilloma virus. This is closely linked to cervical cancer, which, along with breast cancer, is one of Africa’s biggest killers. Fear, taboos and lack of screening mean that most patients seek help when it’s already too late.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Dr. Festus Igbinoba, Chief Consultant, Radiology and Oncology at National Hospital in Abuja, Nigeria
“Even when they come and you now want to treat the patient, there is the issue of finance. We have a lot of patients we can do something for, but they will tell you ‘Sorry doctor, there is no money’.”

Radiotherapy can be highly effective, but Nigeria has only four radiotherapy centres for a population of 150 million. Maintenance is a huge challenge; three of the four radiotherapy machines at this hospital are out of order.

SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Festus Igbinoba, Chief Consultant, Radiology and Oncology at National Hospital in Abuja, Nigeria:
“The equipment aspect of it we need to address as well, because a patient, assuming they manage to come here early, and you don’t have the right equipment, you are handicapped.”

The IAEA’s cancer expertise lies in radiotherapy and nuclear medicine. But it’s also working more broadly with the World Health Organisation and other partners to support coordinated cancer control programmes that would give people like Saadatu a better chance.

SOUNDBITE (English) Saadatu Usaman, Cancer patient:
“I have a dream to get up, to get out of this sickness, to be what I’m destined to be. I’m a graduate but I can’t work. I can’t go anywhere.”

Unless more money can be found for new treatment, she may have only months to live.