Abstract
Cancers are one of the major chronic diseases in Nigeria, with over 100,000 new cases and 70,000 cancer deaths recorded annually. Notwithstanding the public health significance of cancers in Nigeria, there is a dearth of evidence relating to cancers in the country, with most of the few available studies conducted in the Southern regions. This paper aimed to highlight some longstanding myths and misconceptions about cancers in the Northern Nigerian region. We consulted key stakeholders including individuals, local leaders, traditional medicine practitioners, and healthcare professionals. The most common myths and misconceptions about cancers in Northern Nigeria include the following: people get cancers from mystical sources originating in the forests or bush; western medication or hospital treatment worsens cancers; and, witchcraft can be used to transmit cancers to people. Understanding the traditional beliefs and local perceptions of non-communicable diseases is invaluable for informing sustainable and effective interventions. Thus, our paper will be useful for epidemiological, anthropological, and social research into effective preventive measures for cancers in Northern Nigeria and other regions with similar entrenched traditional beliefs about cancers.
Highlights
Cancers are one of the major chronic diseases in Nigeria, with over 100,000 new cases and 70,000 cancer deaths recorded annually
Notwithstanding the public health significance of cancers in Nigeria, there is a dearth of evidence relating to cancers in the country, with most of the few available studies conducted in the Southern regions
Recent estimates indicate the country records approximately 102,000 new cancer cases and over 70,000 cancer deaths annually. 6, 7 Cancers of the breast, cervix, liver, prostate, bowel and colon are common cancers reported in Nigeria; breast and cervical cancers account for nearly half of all cancer deaths
Summary
Prior to compiling information for this Viewpoint, the authors conducted a comprehensive consultation of key stakeholders including individuals, local leaders, traditional medicine practitioners, and healthcare professionals. To the best of our knowledge, the following are the most prominent myths and misconceptions about cancers from the Northern region of Nigeria. A common and long-held myth about cancer in Northern Nigeria is that people get cancers from mystical sources. It is believed that when mystical forces from the forests or bush “bedevil” someone, that person gets jeji. The only remedy is approaching religious leaders for prayers in tandem with visiting traditional herbalists, who use local herbs, shrubs, or a cocktail of both. People do not even mention jeji when describing the illness, for fear of being the victim or perhaps offending the perceived mystical forces
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