A don, Prof. Isa Hussaini, says a 2012 health survey has revealed that 70 per cent of smokers are prone to lung cancer, which also accounted for high mortality.

Hussaini said this in his keynote address at the 2017 Investiture of New fellows of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAP) held at the Sheraton Hotels, Ikeja, on Thursday.

Speaking on various researches on cancer treatment and prevention, Hussaini said that the prevalence of cancer in the world was alarming.

“Cancer is now the second leading mortality in the world now and in 2012, 14.1 Million cases were recorded.

“This translates that the mortality associated with cancer is more than HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria combined.

“Most of the cancer cells are genetics and not transferable, they are very difficult to deal with so that is the reasons we must rise against it at early stage so as to prevent it.

“The ones that are preventable should be prevented, especially lung cancer in which 70 per cent of smokers are prone to. Anyone smoking should stop the habit,’’ he said.

Hussaini said that though frantic effort was on-going as to finding drugs that would help cure cancer, it was not yet Uhuru for the medical world; hence, prevention was the key.

“Frantic researches are on-going to stop the mutation of cancer cells but there has not been any breakthrough yet.

“Some powerful personalities in the world had died of this disease which I think the deadliest of it is `Pancreatic Cancer’ which kills its patient just few months.

“The good news however is that cancer is preventable through early detection. Prostate cancer is preventable so also breast and cervical cancer which accounts for high mortality in females.

“The easiest way out of cancer is screening and regular check-up, we are encouraging all and sundry to ensure that they have their regular check-ups to keep them away from cancer cells,’’ he said.

The President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Mr Ahmed Yakasai, said Nigeria would soon reduce the importation of drugs.

“Presently about 70 per cent of drugs in Nigeria are imported but very soon we are going to reduce the importation of those drugs that we are capable of producing locally.

“Nigeria has the capacity to produce her drugs locally, what we need is the raw material and as soon as the petrochemical industry been constructed by Dangote is ready we will set out.

“PSN is also out to have a foundation and a strategic plan which includes short term, medium term and long term,’’ he said.