Stakeholders in Nigeria’s health sector have called on the Federal Government to scale up cancer prevention awareness, funding, and access to care, particularly for vulnerable populations affected by conflict and insecurity across the country.
The call was made at a high-level symposium organised by Project Pink Blue to commemorate World Cancer Day, held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. The event brought together policymakers, health professionals, security agencies, advocates, and development partners to examine the growing cancer burden in Nigeria amid rising insecurity.
The symposium, themed “Cancer, Conflict and Insecurity in Nigeria: What Can Be Done to Ensure Access to Cancer Care for Vulnerable Communities?”, focused on strategies to reduce cancer-related mortality among children, women, and men living in crisis-prone and displaced communities.
Participants stressed that communities affected by conflict are disproportionately impacted due to the destruction of health facilities, lack of screening services, and limited access to referral and treatment centres. They warned that internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable groups are at heightened risk, as many cannot afford cancer treatment or access early diagnosis.
Speakers urged the government to increase funding for cancer prevention and treatment, expand screening services nationwide, and prioritise early diagnosis as a critical step toward improving survival rates.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Bala Audu, President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), described cancer care in Nigeria as “fragile,” noting that the country is grappling with a dual challenge of rising cancer cases and widespread insecurity.
According to him, over 100,000 new cancer cases are diagnosed annually in Nigeria, with nearly 50 percent of patients dying due to poor access to care and treatment. He lamented that even in cases where awareness exists, late presentation and limited treatment options continue to result in preventable deaths.
Prof. Audu noted that in conflict-affected communities, health facilities have been destroyed or rendered non-functional, making screening and treatment nearly impossible. He emphasised the need for sustained awareness campaigns, early detection, and guaranteed access to treatment once cancer is diagnosed.
He further explained that prevention, research, and early detection are significantly more cost-effective than treatment, adding that cancers such as colorectal and liver cancer in men are largely preventable if detected early. He urged advocates and policymakers to prioritise preventable cancers, including breast, colorectal, prostate, and liver cancers, and ensure access to high-standard diagnostic equipment.
He also highlighted that conflict and insecurity have severely disrupted cancer care delivery, particularly in the North-East, North-West, and other conflict-ravaged regions, calling on government to address security challenges as part of the cancer control strategy.
On the security dimension, the Chief of Air Staff assured participants that the Nigerian Air Force is intensifying efforts to stabilise insecurity through both kinetic and non-kinetic operations, including surveillance and air interdictions in support of ground troops.
Former Senator representing Abia North (2015–2019), Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa, who sponsored the bill establishing the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, expressed satisfaction that the vision behind the legislation is beginning to take shape. He recalled that many Nigerians previously died due to lack of access to cancer treatment, including those who travelled abroad for care.
He described insecurity as a nationwide challenge cutting across all geopolitical zones and commended Project Pink Blue for sustaining advocacy efforts, urging stakeholders to develop practical and lasting solutions.
Also speaking, the First Lady of Imo State and Chairperson of First Ladies Against Cancer, described cancer as one of Nigeria’s most pressing public health challenges. She revealed that the country records approximately 128,000 new cancer cases annually, with breast cancer remaining the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, accounting for over 16,000 deaths in 2024. Prostate cancer, she added, is the leading cancer among men.
She noted that cancer now kills more Nigerians than HIV and malaria combined, calling for free or subsidised cancer treatment, improved access to care, and enhanced protection for health workers and caregivers operating in insecure areas.
She further advocated for the integration of cancer prevention and security considerations into Nigeria’s national security framework, stressing that health security is inseparable from national security.
The symposium concluded with a renewed call for stronger collaboration among government, civil society, security agencies, and development partners to ensure equitable cancer care for all Nigerians, regardless of location or security challenges.
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