Dickson Says No Govt Funding For Planned Cancer Centre

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, on Tuesday said the proposed cancer centre in honour of his late mother, GoldCoast, would not be funded by the state government.

Madam GoldCoast died recently of lung cancer at the University of Texas M.D Anderson Cancer Centre, Houston, Texas, United States at the age of 72.

Speaking when the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) paid him a condolence visit and pledged their support for the centre, the governor said the Dickson family decided to establish a Centre for Cancer Awareness with the objective of reducing avoidable deaths from the deadly disease.

Dickson made the remark, even as the stateb Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said yesterday that three establishments, including the Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation, Cancer Centre and Henry Seriake Dickson Institute would emerge when fully implemented.

The Information Commissioner said having lost his mother to cancer, the governor was passionate to lead the fight against the disease by creating the needed awareness.

The government spokesman noted that even though it is a private initiative, the Bayelsa State Government would partner the foundation to help create the awareness among people of the state on the dangers of the disease and the need for early detection.

Dickson said the centre was designed to operate with donations to the Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation, the operators of the centre.

Apart from the PSN; the NMA, the Ijaw Youth Council, women groups, community leaders and other bodies have also indicated interest in supporting the planned Cancer Centre.

The governor also called on traditional rulers of the Niger Delta to give the necessary support to the efforts to create awareness against the spread of cancer

A statement by the governors Special Adviser on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, quoted the Deputy President of the PSN, South, Dr. Daniel Orumwhense, as having made the pledge for partnership while leading the body on a condolence visit to the governor in his country home of Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area.

Orumwhense said the PSN was ready to volunteer the services of its experts and ensure availability of original drugs to the centre when it became operational.

He stated also that the pharmacists who graduated in large number from the Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University were equipped enough to provide the requisite support to the planned centre.