The Federal Government has said eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2030 is achievable if Nigeria strengthens access to screening services, increases domestic funding for cancer prevention and sustains the gains recorded in Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination across the country.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, stated this on Friday while delivering the opening remarks at the International Webinar on Science and Policy Discourse themed “Accelerating Cervical Cancer Elimination towards 2030 Agenda: Myth or Reality?” organised by the Nigerian Academy of Medicine (NAMed) in collaboration with the National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination (NTF-CCE).
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He said although cervical cancer remains one of the most preventable cancers, it continues to claim the lives of thousands of Nigerian women due to late diagnosis and inadequate access to screening and treatment.
According to the minister, Nigeria records an estimated 13,676 new cervical cancer cases annually, with most patients presenting at advanced stages of the disease.
“Behind these statistics are mothers, wives, daughters and contributors to our nation’s productivity,” he said.
Salako noted that the Federal Government has placed cervical cancer elimination at the centre of its national health agenda, aligning its interventions with the World Health Organization’s 90-70-90 targets, which seek to achieve 90 per cent HPV vaccination coverage among eligible girls, 70 per cent screening coverage for women and 90 per cent access to treatment for those diagnosed.
He said that under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and with support from the Renewed Hope Initiative of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria has adopted an integrated strategy to tackle the disease.
The minister disclosed that the country’s nationwide single-dose HPV vaccination programme, introduced in 2023 and implemented in phases, has so far reached more than 17 million girls between the ages of nine and 14 years.
He said the government’s next priority is to consolidate the gains by expanding vaccination coverage through schools and community outreach programmes, particularly targeting out-of-school girls, to exceed 80 per cent national coverage.
While describing vaccination as a major success, Salako acknowledged that screening and treatment remain the weakest components of Nigeria’s cervical cancer response.
He said the government is working to expand access to HPV-based screening at the primary healthcare level, strengthen referral pathways for patients requiring treatment, and build the capacity of institutions such as the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment to serve as regional centres for diagnosis and care.
He added that the National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination has been established to coordinate efforts across sectors and ensure Nigeria achieves the 2030 elimination target.
According to him, the government is also strengthening health information systems to improve monitoring and evaluation of progress.
Salako said these interventions are being supported through investments from the Renewed Hope Initiative, alongside assistance from Gavi, the Global Financing Facility, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other development partners.
He stressed that while international partnerships remain critical, Nigeria is committed to progressively increasing domestic funding for cancer prevention and control to ensure long-term sustainability.
The minister also highlighted Nigeria’s growing international recognition in cervical cancer elimination efforts, noting that the country co-led the resolution establishing World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day and is among countries whose experiences are informing similar programmes across the Commonwealth and Africa.
He urged participants at the webinar to move beyond discussions and translate policy recommendations into concrete action that would accelerate progress towards eliminating cervical cancer.
Salako formally declared the international webinar open and called on all stakeholders to renew their commitment to ensuring that the 2030 cervical cancer elimination target becomes a reality for every Nigerian woman and girl.
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