World Cancer Day was founded at the first “World Summit Against Cancer,” which took place in Paris in 2000. Every year on February 4, people throughout the world observe this international day to raise awareness of cancer and to support efforts for its detection, prevention, and treatment. Closing the care gap is the subject for World Cancer Day in 2022, and it attempts to address disparities across the length and breadth of the environment that cancer thrives in. Inequity can be caused by a variety of factors, including lifestyle choices, money, education, color and ethnicity, gender, age, and handicap. It is clear that these gaps lead to inefficient care delivery, but it is also important to emphasize that action needs to be taken to overcome these social inequities and promote a targeted, care-centered approach.

One of the main causes of death in the globe is cancer. Nigeria, home to 200 million people, is predicted to have 72,000 cancer-related fatalities annually, with 102,000 new cases being diagnosed. A group of illnesses affecting various body parts, such as the breast, lung, colon, rectum, prostate, skin, and stomach, are collectively referred to as cancer. Cancer can begin in almost any organ or tissue in the body when aberrant cells grow out of control, exceed their normal bounds, invade nearby tissues, and/or spread to other organs.

The public needs to be sensitized, educated, and made more aware of cancer because the number of instances is on the rise. To elucidate the causes of cancer and underscore the significance of early screening tests in cancer diagnosis and therapy, sensitization seminars might be organized. In addition, the technique for a number of self-examinations that may be carried out without medical aid is explained. Early cancer detection increases the likelihood that the disease will react to therapy, increasing the likelihood of survival and lowering morbidity.

Additionally, it is imperative that everyone collaborate. Cancer needs to be seen as a shared adversary, and we need to work together to eradicate it. Key healthcare stakeholders, such as non-governmental organizations and foreign organizations, must work together with the government. Laws must be passed to guarantee that everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, has access to healthcare. Even if some patients may not always be able to afford medical care, everyone should have access to affordable healthcare, so the government should help make treatment facilities and pharmaceuticals more widely available. This will improve the cancer care process and offer a more workable plan for its eradication.

Additionally, discrimination against cancer sufferers must be prevented. Their health situation shouldn’t cause them to be stigmatized. Rather, they ought to receive recognition and support for their struggle to survive. In addition to treating patients professionally, medical personnel also need to consider the individuality and culture of each patient. Patients need to feel assured that they will receive top-notch care, and the expert services they receive should support their confidence. The standard of treatment will rise if effective communication is made easier between patients and medical professionals.

Due to national travel limits and other measures put in place to prevent COVID-19, healthcare professionals can provide care to patients virtually. However, flexibility should be taken into account because a patient’s socioeconomic status can influence both their acceptance of the procedure and their ability to access internet resources. The effectiveness of caring for cancer patients has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, so it is critical to reaffirm support for cancer patients even during this time. It is imperative that oncologists and other medical professionals highlight the efforts they make to provide cancer patients with care.

To effectively close these inequalities, individuals must also participate. It is impossible to overstate the significance of early screening, as was previously mentioned. As long as routine tests have been proven to identify cancerous cells and enable prompt treatment, then they should be approved. Also, patients and doctors need to be honest and upfront with one another. Similar to health care, cancer treatment is a two-way street.

These disparities lead to gaps in the delivery of cancer therapy, so it is imperative to address them. These gaps allow cancer to continue, but if our hands are linked, we can stop it.