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By Ezra Ukanwa, Abuja

The first lady of Kebbi state, and Chief Executive Officer of Medicaid Cancer Foundation, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, has said “Approximately 90% of cervical cancer deaths occur in low-and-middle income countries, LMICs, like Nigeria.”

She spoke at the screening of a documentary film titled: “Conquering Cancer” to health and cancer stakeholders, organised by Project PINK BLUE in partnership with Moonshine Agency Australia, in Abuja.

She said: “Many women globally are battling cervical cancer and today, we have Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to prevent this cancer, painfully, many women across the world cannot have access to this life-saving vaccine. Approximately 90% of cervical cancer deaths occur in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs) like Nigeria.

“There is a misconception that cancer is a rich man’s disease and not our problem in low-income countries. Yet, the fact is that there is none here that can put his or her hand up and confidently say that he or she does not know anybody that has ever had cancer. If you put six people in a room, at least half of them would have been affected by cancer one way or the other.”

She, however, commended the Moonshine Agency Australia for producing the film and shared her passion for cervical cancer elimination globally.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Project PINK BLUE Runcie C.W. Chidebe said: “cervical cancer is 90% preventable with human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine, however, the HPV vaccine is not included in Nigeria’s national routine immunization.

“Rwanda could be the first country in Africa to eliminate cervical cancer through the HPV vaccine programme. Honestly, no single country can eliminate cervical cancer alone, in Rwanda for instance, the GAVI Alliance is taking up over 80% of the cost of the vaccines while the Rwanda government and other partners like UNITAID, World Bank and Partners in Health are also supporting. Nigeria needs this kind of partnership to accelerate access to the HPV vaccine and save our girls and women.”

The Programme Coordinator, Project PINK BLUE and Breast Cancer Survivor, Gloria C. Okwu said that there is a need to make screening of women for cervical cancer a national programme.

Conquering Cancer is a feature documentary with a soaring ambition: to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer for every woman and girl.