Oil-Producing Communities Deserve Better Healthcare, Not Neglect – Gov Diri

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has described the growing cancer burden in the state as a major health challenge requiring urgent and sustainable intervention.

Hotnews reports that speaking at Government House, Yenagoa, while inaugurating an 18-member steering committee for the establishment of the Bayelsa Cancer Treatment and Research Centre, Governor Diri, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Peter Akpe, expressed concern over the health consequences of decades of oil pollution in the state.

The Governor noted that breast, cervical and prostate cancers have become increasingly prevalent, with many families forced to travel outside the state or abroad to access diagnosis and treatment.

He said it was unacceptable for communities that bear the environmental and economic consequences of oil production to lack adequate healthcare facilities to address the resulting health challenges.

Governor Diri charged the committee, chaired by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, to conduct an empirical assessment of the cancer burden in Bayelsa and recommend an appropriate location, infrastructure, equipment, partnerships and sustainable financing options for the proposed centre.

He also tasked the committee with developing plans for competent manpower, training, maintenance, accessibility, and the steady availability of drugs and medical consumables.

In his response, Prof. Brisibe thanked Governor Diri for the confidence reposed in the committee, describing the initiative as a demonstration of the administration’s commitment to improving the health and well-being of Bayelsans.

He noted that the financial, physical and emotional burden of travelling outside the state for cancer care had become too heavy for many families, stressing that the proposed centre would provide a platform for accessible and comprehensive cancer diagnosis and treatment within Bayelsa.

The 18-member committee comprises medical professionals, administrators and other experts drawn from relevant fields to develop a framework for the establishment of the proposed world-class cancer treatment and research centre.

~ Hot News Reporters
Saturday, 26, September, 2026