The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, has inaugurated the Friends of the Radiation Oncology Department (FoRDO), a support platform aimed at strengthening cancer treatment, research, capacity building, and patient support.
The initiative was inaugurated at the hospital’s Radiation Oncology Department, with representatives of the Oyo State Ministry of Health, heads and former heads of departments, medical professionals, staff, and other stakeholders in attendance.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Medical Director of UCH, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, represented by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Prof. Bukola Adesina, described the initiative as an important step towards improving cancer care at UCH and across Nigeria.
Otegbayo said FoRDO underscored the importance of partnerships in addressing the growing challenges of cancer treatment and patient care, noting that patients and their families often face financial, emotional, and social difficulties beyond the clinical burden of the disease.
‘Today represents a significant milestone in our collective efforts to strengthen cancer care and improve health outcomes, not only at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, but indeed the whole of Nigeria,’ he said.
He urged Nigerians to see support for UCH as an investment in the health of the wider population, given its role as a major public healthcare and training institution.
The CMD commended FoRDO’s initiators and members but cautioned that its activities should go beyond providing medical equipment and infrastructure.
‘Our ultimate goal must always remain the same: we want to improve the quality of care. We want to give hope to people who are living with cancer. All of this will be acknowledged because transparency and accountability are very, very important,’ he said.
The Chairman of FoRDO, Prince Yinka Afonja, pledged the organisation’s commitment to reducing the medical, financial, emotional, and social burdens faced by cancer patients, particularly indigent Nigerians.
Afonja urged the department to prioritise research and explore all possible avenues for breakthroughs in cancer treatment, including the scientific investigation of traditional medicine. He also called for stronger government investment in healthcare, assuring that the 25-member board would give its best to support the department.
The Permanent Secretary of the Oyo State Ministry of Health, Dr Kehinde Ayinde, urged FoRDO to extend its activities beyond UCH and become a broad-based movement supporting indigent cancer patients.
He called for stronger collaboration among FoRDO, UCH Ibadan, and the Oyo State government, envisioning a movement where philanthropists support indigent patients, survivors give hope to newly diagnosed patients, researchers generate evidence for better policies, and specialists transfer knowledge to healthcare workers in communities.
Ayinde challenged the organisation to combine compassion with science, philanthropy with accountability, and advocacy with evidence, assuring members of his continued support.
The Dean, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, University of Ibadan, Prof Taiwo Lawal, described the initiative as timely, stressing that the rising cancer burden requires greater investment in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, research, training, and compassionate care.
Lawal, while highlighting UCH’s strength in cancer treatment, particularly cervical cancer, noted that patients still travel to Ibadan from across Nigeria for its specialised services such as brachytherapy.
Oyo State Commissioner for Special Duties, Bar (Dr) Oyeleke Idowu, expressed confidence in FoRDO members and urged them to use their professional experience and networks to address critical challenges, particularly the acquisition of medical equipment.
Professor Chioma Asuzu, representing Prof. Adeniyi Olanipekun, the oldest professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology, described the department as a model for holistic cancer care in Nigeria. She stressed the importance of psychological support but lamented that non-functional radiotherapy equipment had limited the department’s capacity to serve more patients.
Asuzu urged FoRDO and other stakeholders to advocate for the restoration of the department’s equipment and support its development so it can regain its former capacity and reputation.
The Head of the Department of Radiation Oncology, UCH, Ibadan, Dr Adebayo Oladeji, said the idea of FoRDO emerged after he assumed leadership of the department and realised that institutional resources alone might not be sufficient to meet all its needs.
He said he reached out to 25 friends who shared his vision, all of whom agreed to support the initiative. According to him, FoRDO members are prepared to contribute through financial assistance, professional connections, partnerships, and other forms of support.
Oladeji identified inadequate radiotherapy equipment as the department’s major challenge, despite UCH’s significant human-resource capacity in oncology.
He said the ultimate goal was to provide high-quality, patient-centred and evidence-based cancer treatments while helping patients regain their quality of life, adding that the collaboration among the hospital, university, government, and private supporters would be crucial to achieving the vision.