FG Launches The First Lady-Inspired Partnership To Eliminate Cervical Cancer By 2030
The Federal Government on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja launched the Partnership for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer in Nigeria, spearheaded by the National Taskforce for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer. The event was inspired and enabled by the First Lady, Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu CON. Despite being preventable and treatable, cancer of the uterine cervix is the second commonest cancer and the second leading cause of cancer mortality among Nigerian women essentially because of ignorance, late presentation for care and sub-optimal treatment infrastructure.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the need to change the narrative of cervical cancer in Nigeria that still claims the lives of far too many women is not only imperative but also expedient.
“The grim reality, alongside the urgency to protect the health and dignity of over 60 million girls and women aged 15 years above who are at risk necessitated the inauguration of the National Taskforce for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer in June 2024 by the office of the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare. The taskforce, an interventional committee was given the mandate to work with the Nigeria Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) to coordinate efforts to eliminate cervical cancer in line with the national strategic plan 2023 – 2027. This assignment is crucial in operationalizing Nigeria’s response in alignment with the World Health Organization’s 90–70–90 targets for cervical cancer elimination by the year 2030.
“The task force under the able leadership of Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole has so far remained focused and is working diligently towards the actualization of its mandate. From developing a concise policy brief to properly situate the challenge and inform key stakeholders, organizing high level advocacy visits including to your Excellency and today in just about a year of its birth, putting together this partnership launch not only to mobilize across society support but to also unequivocally demonstrate that the agenda to eliminate cervical cancer from our society by 2030 has a role for everybody.”
Salako said the Federal Government recognises the increasing burden of cancer including that of the cervix in the society and that was President Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare a clear directive to adopt the multi-prong approach of emphasising cancer prevention, early detection and access to qualitative and affordable treatment by victims of cancers. This has made the ministry to be promoting primary and secondary prevention of cancer including vaccination for vaccine preventable cancers like cervical and liver cancer, screening services for early detection and expanding cancer treatment infrastructure in the country.
“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, 6 cancers centres of excellence are being established (1 per geopolitical zone) to provide comprehensive cancer prevention services, diagnosis and treatment. Three of the centers are now ready for commissioning while the remaining 3 will be commissioned on or before February, 2026. In addition to the 6 centres of Excellence, 7 others federal centres are offering oncology sevices accross the country. We intend to sustain this initiative throughout the life span of this administration and in the 2025 appropriation year, our plan is to upgrade 6 additional federal institutions to oncology centres of excellence so that before 2030, every part of this country would have been equipped to treat all forms of cancers. This is our unique strategy to deliver on the WHO global target of eliminating cervical cancer by 2030 and address the challenges of other cancers in the country.
“In order to reduce financial hardship of cancer treatment, the Federal government continues to appropriate resources to sustain the cancer health fund while also working towards a unique approach using the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and other mechanisms to create a Catastrophic Health Insurance Fund in order to support patients with cancers and other finance intensive chronic diseases. We have also reconstituted and renergised our Nuclear Medicine Technical Working Group to enhance our capacity as country for cancer staging, treatment planning, response monitoring and recurrence detection.”
Salako commended the First Lady for her leadership roles and commitment towards the prevention and control of cancer especially breast and cervical cancers saying she has been most exemplary and inspirational.
“Your Excellency, your unwavering commitment to improving population health outcomes, particularly your willingness to lead this partnership, is an inspiration to us all. You have amplified the voice of our women and children and catalysed change that will benefit generations to come.
“May I recall, that in 2023, you led the introduction of HPV vaccine to protect our young girls against cervical cancer. The momentum you created at that time has today resulted in about 14 million girls being immunized. You also mobilized African first ladies to Abuja to spotlight global attention, create awareness and mobilise resources to combat cancer. Your generous donation of 1 billion naira through the Renewed Hope Initiative provided the lifeline that has energised the national task force for the elimination of cervical cancer and put it on a trajectory to deliver on its mandate. Your Excellency ma, we remain ever grateful for this unparalleled support.”
The Minister said the elimination of cervical cancer from Nigeria is possible. “We have the commitment to this agenda at the highest level of political authority of our country, we have a dedicated, passionate, influential, strong and caring voice as champion , we have the tools, the expertise and together we can mobilize the needed financial resources. I call on all our partners being innaugurated today, our state governors, the private sector, our development partners, NGOs, CBOs, the press and all Nigerians to join hands with the Federal Government, with our chief Public Health Champion, Senator Oluremi Tinubu CON so that Nigeria can deliver on the Global agenda of 90-70-90 targets by 2030.”
