The Ogun State Government is collaborating with a United State Healthe care provider, HTI Global Cancer Partners, USA, to set up a cancer institute valued at $200 million.

This was disclosed by Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka at a press briefing in Abeokuta where he also said the institute would be the first of its kind in the world.

According to Soyinka, the institute which would be cited near the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Sagamu, would focus on tackling the threat posed by cancer epidemic, which he also explained to have different genetic characteristics among the blacks.

He declared that the establishment would, among other things, raise public awareness on cancer, screening, diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients, rehabilitation, training of health care personnel as well as conducting researches that would fight the peril to a standstill.

The commissioner added that the institute would be financed by bills from patients, medical tourists, the State Health Insurance Scheme, donor agencies as well as researches that would be sponsored by pharmaceutical companies.

 “There are cancer centres and institutes across Africa, but I can tell you none of them has a school. We can get on top of the cancer epidemic in Nigeria and this is one of the ways this can be achieved”, he elaborated.

The Chairman, Board of Managers of HTI Global Cancer Partners, Dr. Bert Petersen, however admitted that the development was going to transform the nation’s health sector.