The Federal Government has validated a costed National Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan, setting Nigeria on course to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat between 2025 and 2030. 

The newly validated plan aligns with the World Health Organization’s 90–70–90 targets and represents a coordinated national strategy to eradicate the disease through prevention, screening, treatment, and monitoring.

This was announced in a press release signed by Ayo Osinlu, Co-Chair, Media and Communications of the National Task Force on Cervical Cancer Elimination.

The plan was adopted during Day 1 of the National Validation Workshop held on May 15, 2025, at the Stratton Hotel in Asokoro, Abuja. 

The event brought together over 60 stakeholders including representatives from the Federal and State Ministries of Health, academia, development partners like WHO and UNICEF, and members of the National Task Force on Cervical Cancer Elimination (NTF-CCE).

Professor Sani A. Malami, Secretary of the NTF-CCE, who presented the plan, noted that Nigeria had recently achieved a major milestone by vaccinating over 13 million girls against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). He described the elimination strategy as a comprehensive approach covering vaccination, screening, treatment, workforce development, and a robust monitoring and evaluation system.

Malami also emphasized the economic benefit of the initiative, stating that for every dollar spent, up to $26 in societal returns could be generated. “This is not just a moral obligation — it is an economic imperative,” he said.

Participants engaged in thematic breakout sessions to validate cost assumptions related to prevention, diagnostics, and public engagement. Discussions culminated in a harmonized plenary session where consensus was reached on budget parameters, national targets, and implementation pathways.

The validated plan is now set to proceed to the final adoption phase and builds upon the earlier National Strategic Plan for Prevention and Control of Cancer of the Cervix 2023–2027.

Vanguard News