African countries are beginning to wake up to technological advancement, and this advancement is noticeable in Nigeria but the major focus has solely been on Information Technology and financial technology. Despite the fact that Information Technology brings the world closer, we also have to invest in technological advancement in medicine. Even after being a survivor for seven years, I still can’t believe Nigeria has only one PETSCAN machine, owned mainly by an Indian diagnostic centre.
Breast cancer is one of the major causes of death among women in Nigeria. There are a lot of breast cancer survivors dying carelessly because they don’t have access to well-equipped diagnostic centres and they are also getting tested in outdated medical machines despite paying a lot of money using this equipment; which tells why the breast cancer survival rate is still staggering in Nigeria. Unfortunately, breast cancer patients who lost their lives are mostly the working force of the country.
As the general elections are fast approaching, I will advise that whoever becomes the next President of Nigeria should have a focus or mind shift to the advancement of technology in medicine by putting in place policies and structures that will enhance this advancement and also make it affordable and accessible for the average Nigerian. To date, the only PETSCAN machine is not even affordable for a person like me from the working class community who is due for one.