The Ogun State, in Southwestern Nigeria, is collaborating with a United States health care provider, HTI Global Cancer Partner to establish a $200 million state-of-the-art cancer institute in its capital Abeokuta.

According to the state’s commissioner for health, Dr Olaokun Soyinka, who disclosed this at a press conference,  the institute – which would offer screening, diagnosis and treatment of cancer – will be the first of its kind in Africa.

“We can get on top of the cancer epidemic in Nigeria and this is one of the ways this can be achieved”, Soyinka said.

At the briefing, American cancer surgeon and chairman of Board of Managers, HTI Global Cancer Partners, Dr Bert Petersen, said the proposed project is expected to “save Nigerians the challenge of travelling out of the country to get treatment for the disease.

According to him an average of 500,000 Nigerians contract cancer yearly out of which a mere 15 percent survive due to poor awareness, late detection and lack of inadequate facilities.

“This project will change this and help transform the health sector in Nigeria”, Petersen said.