— Calls on stakeholders to join forces to eliminate cervical cancer in Nigeria

—Launches Nigeria’s partnership to eliminate the disease by 2030

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA — THE First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday, said that the Nigeria government has shown that it is possible to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030, nothing that in 2024, it made a breakthrough by launching the Human Papillomavirus vaccine, HPV, nationally, thereby protecting over 12 million girls in just nine months.

Mrs. Tinubu said the success was led by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, with support from global partners.

This is as the President”s wife  has made a passionate appeal to development partners, private sector players, non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions to commit their resources, expertise, and innovation to the national campaign to eliminate cervical cancer.

Speaking at the official unveiling of the Partnership to Eliminate Cervical Cancer in Nigeria, PECCiN, at the Old Banquet Hal, Presidential Villa, Abuja, Mrs. Tinubu declared that the time had come for collective action against a disease that remains both preventable and deadly.

“At this juncture, I call on all development partners, the private sector, NGOs, and academic institutions to commit their resources, expertise, and innovation to this campaign. We count on you all to ensure that this collaboration succeeds,” the First Lady said in a firm appeal to national and international stakeholders.

Describing the launch of PECCiN as the beginning of a “transformational journey in the health and dignity of Nigerian women and girls,” Mrs. Tinubu stressed that cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among women in Nigeria, despite being one of the most preventable.

“Cervical cancer is a silent killer, and one that strikes hardest at the most vulnerable women. Yet, this is a cancer that is preventable”, she said.

She lauded the alignment of PECCiN with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on health, which seeks to prioritize the well-being of all Nigerians, especially women.

According to her, this initiative underscores the administration’s determination to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat by 2030.

“Nigeria has shown that it is possible,” she noted, referencing the country’s successful nationwide rollout of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in 2023.

According to her: “Nigeria has shown that it is possible to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030. Last year, Nigeria made a breakthrough by launching the Human Papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) nationally, protecting over 12 million girls in just nine months.

“This success was led by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, with support from global partners, such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Gates Foundation, WHO, and UNICEF. I thank all our partners for standing with us. But we cannot stop there.

“We must build on this momentum and expand HPV screening, scale up treatment through innovative, cost-effective technologies, and establish these services where they matter most: in our primary and secondary health care facilities.”

Mrs. Tinubu also urged state and local governments, healthcare professionals, and schools to become active champions of women’s health and immunization.

“Eliminating cervical cancer requires collaborative action. State and local governments, as well as healthcare professionals, must all prioritize women’s health.

“Also, our schools and educational institutions need to be champions of immunization. In addition, it behoves on our religious and traditional leaders to advocate for truth and science.”

She called on religious and traditional leaders to “advocate for truth and science,” noting their unique ability to shape public perception and influence community behavior.

“Funding and a lot of resources are needed,” she added, revealing that the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), her pet project, has already committed ₦1 billion to support the national campaign.

“I call on our State Governors, business leaders, and development partners to join in supporting this laudable initiative. Together, we must invest in a future where no woman dies from a disease that is preventable”, she said.

Commending key actors driving the initiative, Mrs. Tinubu praised the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammad Ali Pate, and the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, for their “commitment in driving health sector reforms.”

She also recognized the Chairman of the National Task Force for Cervical Cancer Elimination, Prof. Isaac Adewole, for his “instrumental effort in making this initiative possible.”

Addressing healthcare providers directly, the First Lady called them “the face of hope for millions of Nigerian women,” urging them to serve with “professionalism and compassion.”

“If we all join hands to make this Partnership work, in the next five years alone, we can prevent at least 60,000 deaths from cervical cancer in Nigeria,” she said.

“The launch event marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s intensified fight against cervical cancer and signals a high-level political will to marshal resources and partnerships to protect women and girls nationwide.

“Let us rise to this occasion and write a new chapter,” the First Lady concluded, “one where every Nigerian girl and woman can live free from cervical cancer.”

Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) also endorsed the national initiative to combat cervical cancer, affirming the collective commitment of state governments to tackle this pressing health challenge.

Represented by Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, the governors expressed strong support for the partnership, which is championed by the First Lady of Nigeria and aims to reduce the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer across the country.

Uzodinma highlighted the governors’ readiness to adopt necessary policies at the state level and ensure the allocation of domestic funding for cervical cancer prevention and treatment programs.

He stressed the importance of strengthening primary healthcare systems to deliver equitable services, especially to women in rural and underserved communities.

Earlier Adewole, Chairman of the NTF-CCE and former Minister of Health, highlighted the urgency of the initiative: “Approximately 60 million Nigerian women are at risk of developing cervical cancer, and sadly, about 22 women die daily from this preventable and treatable disease.”

He stressed that PECCIN will drive coordinated, sub-national government-led expansion of cervical cancer elimination activities and foster multisectoral collaboration across public and private sectors.

Vice chairman of the committee, Zainab Shinkafi-Bagadu, highlighted the significance of the launch of PECCiN, emphasising a renewed commitment to combating cervical cancer in the country.

She reflected on the progress Nigeria has made in recent years, noting that despite previous challenges, there has been a remarkable increase in investment in the health sector, including the establishment of six new health facilities over the past two years.

She proudly stated that approximately 13 million Nigerian girls have been vaccinated against HPV during this period, a milestone that aligns Nigeria with other leading African countries like Rwanda in the fight against cervical cancer.

The initiative brings together a broad coalition including the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, World Health Organization (WHO), National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Nigeria Governors’ Forum, National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Clinton Health Alliance Initiative (CHAI), Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN), and the Gates Foundation.