Nigeria records about 128,000 new cancer cases every year, but conflict and insecurity are increasingly cutting off vulnerable communities from early diagnosis and lifesaving treatment, the Imo State First Lady and Chairperson of First Ladies Against Cancer (FLAC), Barr. Chioma Uzodimma, has said.

Uzodimma disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking at the World Cancer Day Symposium organised by Project PINK BLUE, Health & Psychological Trust Centre, where stakeholders examined how violence, displacement and fragile health systems are worsening cancer outcomes across the country.

She said the cancer burden places enormous strain on individuals, families and the health system, noting that breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Nigeria, while prostate cancer leads among men.

According to her, thousands of deaths recorded yearly are avoidable if cancers are detected early and treated without interruption.

Uzodimma warned that insecurity has become a major barrier to care, with health facilities shut down in conflict-affected areas and health workers forced to flee due to attacks, kidnappings and killings.

She said prolonged disruptions, including sit-at-home orders in parts of the South East, have delayed chemotherapy sessions, follow-up visits and palliative care.

“These are not just statistics. They are mothers, fathers and children whose lives are cut short because care is unavailable or unsafe to access,” she said.

As chairperson of FLAC, she said the coalition, established in 2015, has worked to close gaps across Nigeria’s cancer care continuum through awareness campaigns, screening programmes, patient support and policy advocacy.

She added that since 2025, FLAC has expanded partnerships with federal and state governments, the private sector and international development partners to strengthen cancer prevention, research and treatment.

Uzodimma highlighted collaborations with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), the World Health Organisation and civil society groups to advance cervical cancer elimination.

She said these efforts include supporting HPV vaccination for girls and screening thousands of women in underserved and vulnerable communities, while aligning interventions with national and state-level strategies.

However, she cautioned that progress is being undermined by conflict, particularly in the North East, North West and parts of the South East, where disrupted supply chains, displacement and poverty are pushing patients toward late-stage presentation.

She called for mobile clinics, stronger protection for health workers, safe corridors for medical supplies and expanded funding for the National Cancer Health Fund.

In his remarks, Director-General of NICRAT, Prof. Aliyu Malami, represented by the Director of Clinical Services, Prof. Musa Ali-Gombe, identified weak coordination, limited decentralisation and inadequate funding as major challenges confronting cancer control in Nigeria.

Ali-Gombe said many actors are involved in cancer-related activities, but the absence of a strong coordinating centre has led to duplication and gaps.

He noted that cancer services remain concentrated in major cities, leaving rural and conflict-affected communities without access to prevention, screening and early diagnosis.

He said the establishment of NICRAT marked a turning point, as Nigeria now has a dedicated agency and budget line for cancer control for the first time.

According to him, funding for cancer care has increased steadily since 2020, even though it remains far below what is required to meet national needs.

Ali-Gombe disclosed that NICRAT has strengthened cancer registries across the six geopolitical zones to improve data collection and evidence-based planning.

He said Nigeria has produced a draft national cancer incidence report for the first time, describing it as a major milestone for policy development and programme implementation.

On access to treatment, he explained that the National Cancer Health Fund currently provides free treatment for breast, cervical and prostate cancers in designated centres of excellence across the six geopolitical zones.

He said the programme is being piloted due to funding and specialist constraints, but plans are underway to expand both the number of centres and the range of cancers covered.

Ali-Gombe also stressed the need to integrate cancer care into national security and humanitarian response plans, noting that displaced persons and populations affected by conflict continue to live with chronic conditions that require uninterrupted care.

Former Senator representing Abia North and sponsor of the bill that established NICRAT, Mao Ohuabunwa, described cancer as a national emergency that demands sustained political commitment.

Ohuabunwa said insecurity has compounded an already difficult situation, making it harder for patients in vulnerable areas to access screening and treatment.

He urged the National Assembly, the executive, civil society and development partners to work together to strengthen funding, oversight and implementation of cancer control programmes.

He recalled the long advocacy that led to the passage of the NICRAT establishment bill, saying it was achieved through persistence and collaboration with experts and advocates.

According to him, the focus must now shift from legislation to effective implementation that reaches communities most in need.

Earlier, Project PINK BLUE Senior Finance and Administration Officer Lead, Godwin Kagior, in his welcome address, said the symposium was convened to push stakeholders beyond discussion to concrete action.

He described cancer as both a medical and social justice issue, especially in contexts of conflict, displacement and poverty.

Kagior said Project PINK BLUE, established in 2014, has spent the past 11 years on cancer awareness, advocacy, patient navigation, research, oncology training, psychological support and free screening.

He noted that the annual World Cancer Day Symposium has become a platform for engaging high-level actors and shaping national conversations on cancer.

He urged participants to ensure that the outcomes of the symposium translate into practical recommendations, stronger partnerships and measurable action. “Behind every statistic is a human life whose chance of survival depends on the systems we build,” he said.

Cancer survivors and advocates at the event shared personal stories of misdiagnosis, late presentation and loss, reinforcing calls for cancer care to be treated as a national emergency and fully integrated into Nigeria’s health, security and humanitarian response frameworks. (Nigerian Tribune)

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