In a bold move to confront a growing health crisis in Nigeria and other lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), international patient advocacy organisation Inspire2Live (I2L) has launched a major initiative aimed at ensuring access to affordable and life-saving cancer medications.

The initiative, according to a recent statement from I2L, seeks to eliminate the widespread inequalities that prevent millions of cancer patients in poorer nations from receiving essential treatment. It is being supported by several prominent cancer scientists globally and aims to dismantle the current barriers that make oncology drugs inaccessible for many.

Cancer Crisis in Nigeria: A Looming Emergency

Cancer remains a major public health concern in Nigeria. According to the Global Cancer Observatory, approximately 127,763 new cancer cases were recorded in 2020 alone, translating to a staggering 113.6 age-standardized incidence rate per 100,000 people. This means that nearly 350 Nigerians are diagnosed with cancer every day, many of whom lack access to timely diagnosis or treatment.

Despite the growing burden, cancer care remains out of reach for many due to the high cost of chemotherapy, diagnostic imaging, and palliative care, which are largely paid for out of pocket. As a result, countless families are pushed into poverty, with some patients abandoning treatment altogether.

Inspire2Live: Championing a Global Cancer Equity Movement

Peter Kapitein, the founder of Inspire2Live, emphasized the urgency of bridging this inequality gap in access to cancer treatment. Speaking on the group’s mission, he stated that I2L has enlisted the support of five leading international cancer scientists to help drive the initiative forward.

“We’re building a movement that’s attracting support from several well-established international organisations. These are groups that already know how to deliver essential health solutions,” Kapitein said. “In LMICs, patients are often diagnosed at late stages when the disease is more aggressive and pain relief is scarce or unavailable. We must act now.”

He added that 30 members from LMICs have already pledged their support for the movement. “We have seen the impossible demands placed on a few hospitals trying to cater to an entire country without access to essential cancer drugs. This is a humanitarian failure that we feel morally bound to address,” he stated.

Nigerian Expert Calls for Disruption of a Broken System

One of the initiative’s scientific advisers, Professor Ifeoma Okoye, a seasoned radiologist from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), added her voice to the call for change. She described the situation as not only dire but also a gross violation of basic human rights.

“Every day in our clinics, we see patients more terrified of the treatment costs than of the disease itself,” said Okoye, who also serves as the Director of the UNN Centre for Excellence for Clinical Trials. “The burden of out-of-pocket expenses for chemotherapy, scans, and even pain medication is devastating entire families. It robs them of dignity and hope.”

She continued, “The initiative led by Inspire2Live is a necessary and timely disruption. This is not about charity—this is about justice. Access to cancer medication must be seen as a fundamental human right, not a luxury.”

Calling Out the Pharmaceutical Industry

Citing the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) essential medicines list, which currently includes 83 critical cancer medications, Kapitein noted with concern that 13 of these drugs remain under patent and are out of reach for many Africans.

He argued that it is both feasible and ethically imperative to allow LMICs to manufacture generic versions of these patented medicines. Such a model has been previously successful in the fight against HIV/AIDS and could now serve as a blueprint for cancer treatment.

“Pharmaceutical companies could permit generics to be produced under strict quality standards, especially after meeting demand in high-income markets,” he explained. “The production cost could be cut by up to 90% for LMICs, just like we saw with antiretrovirals during the HIV/AIDS epidemic.”

Kapitein stressed that this approach would not significantly hurt the pharmaceutical industry. On the contrary, it would enhance their global image through improved Corporate Social Responsibility ratings. “They aren’t selling these drugs to LMICs right now, so allowing generic production doesn’t reduce their existing revenue,” he said. “Their only cost would be for registration, which is minimal.”

He continued, “In return, they fulfill the real mission of their scientific breakthroughs—to save lives and bring hope to the underserved. It is unconscionable to sit on life-saving solutions while people continue to suffer and die unnecessarily.”

Path Forward: Policy Change and Global Solidarity

To make this vision a reality, Inspire2Live is calling on international regulators, governments, and pharmaceutical companies to collaborate in eliminating legal and economic barriers that prevent access to cancer drugs in Africa.

“We need policies that permit flexibility in intellectual property laws for humanitarian purposes,” Kapitein said. “Governments across Africa should be empowered to produce or import generics of life-saving drugs under compulsory licensing arrangements—without fear of trade retaliation.”

He further urged global health bodies to include affordability and accessibility as critical criteria in drug approval and distribution frameworks.

The organisation also seeks to educate stakeholders—from national health ministries to international donors—about the viability of low-cost drug access in LMICs. They plan to partner with non-profits, public health organisations, and pharmaceutical leaders who are willing to participate in this paradigm shift.

A Matter of Life and Death

Inspire2Live insists that this initiative is not simply a health policy proposal—it is a matter of life and death for millions. In nations like Nigeria, where the cancer burden is rising and resources are scarce, urgent interventions are needed to save lives now and in the future.

“We have the knowledge, we have the medicine, and now we must summon the moral will,” said Kapitein. “There’s no reason why a child in Lagos or Enugu should die because their parents cannot afford medication that costs a few dollars to produce.”

“We have done it before with HIV/AIDS. We can do it again with cancer.”

As the world grapples with widening health inequities, Inspire2Live’s campaign serves as a rallying cry for transformative action—one that could redefine cancer care in Africa and beyond.