FG Backs Radiotheranostics at Loveworld Medical Centre

_LAGOS, Nigeria_ — The Federal Government has called for increased investment in radiopharmaceutical therapy, research, infrastructure and specialist training as Nigeria explores advanced precision medicine to address its growing cancer burden.

The call was made Friday at the 2026 International Symposium on Radiopharmaceutical Therapy (ISRT) held at Loveworld Medical Centre Oregun Ikeja Lagos, where Nigerian and international experts gathered to discuss the future of radiotheranostics and precision oncology in Africa.

The symposium, themed “Advancing Radiotheranostics and Precision Oncology in Africa,” brought together specialists in nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, oncology, radiopharmaceutical therapy and theragnostics.

Representing the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, Deputy Director of Research at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Dr David Oladele, said Nigeria needed to move beyond conventional approaches to cancer treatment.
He said the country’s response must include stronger research and development, improved infrastructure, a skilled workforce and effective regulatory systems capable of supporting the safe delivery of advanced cancer therapies.

“For Nigeria, the development of capacity in this area is particularly significant,” Oladele said.
He urged stronger collaboration between Nigerian and international institutions, technology transfer and clinical research to make radiopharmaceutical therapy more accessible to patients.

Dr Deola Phillips, Executive Minister of the Ministry of Health, Health and Social Services and Chairman of Loveworld Medical Centre, said the symposium was part of a broader effort to expand access to sophisticated cancer diagnosis and targeted treatment in Africa.

Phillips said more than 120 participants, including international experts and young healthcare professionals, attended the 2026 edition.

She stressed that modern cancer care should focus not only on extending patients’ lives but also on preserving their quality of life, dignity and ability to live meaningfully during and after treatment.

Phillips recounted the case of a breast cancer patient who received free nuclear medicine treatment through a partner foundation. According to her, the patient’s previously severe wound had reduced significantly after two cycles of treatment.

Dr Emeka Eze, Chief Medical Director of Loveworld Medical Centre and Chairman of ISRT 2026, described precision oncology as an important direction for cancer care.

He explained that radiopharmaceutical therapy can target diseased cells more specifically than conventional chemotherapy, which may also affect healthy rapidly dividing cells and cause side effects.

Dr Masha Maharaj, Director of Operations and Head of Nuclear Medicine at Loveworld Medical Centre, said radiotheranostics combines diagnosis and treatment by identifying specific disease pathways and subsequently targeting them with precision therapy.

Maharaj, who is President-elect of the World Association of Radiopharmaceutical and Molecular Therapy, said the approach was showing promise in the management of advanced cancers.

She also announced that Loveworld Medical Centre had begun administering Actinium-based treatment in Nigeria, with patients suffering from conditions including breast cancer, sarcoma and lung cancer among those receiving the advanced therapy.
The development, she said, could reduce the need for some Nigerian patients to travel abroad in search of specialised cancer treatment.

However, speakers acknowledged that cost remains a major barrier to access. They called for stronger government investment, philanthropic support, research partnerships and expanded training to ensure that precision cancer care does not remain available only to a small section of the population.

The symposium concluded with a shared call for Nigeria and other African countries to build local expertise and infrastructure capable of delivering advanced cancer care to international standards.