By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

In a major boost to cancer care in Nigeria, Project PINK BLUE, a leading cancer advocacy and support organisation, in partnership with the Federal Medical Centre ,FMC, Abuja, has launched a dedicated Pain and Palliative Care Unit aimed at improving the quality of life of women living with gynaecological cancers and other patients battling serious illnesses.

The initiative, supported by the International Gynecological Cancer Society’s (IGCS) Dicey Scroggins Fund for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), is being hailed as a significant step towards addressing Nigeria’s longstanding gap in palliative care services and pain management.

Located at FMC Jabi, Abuja, the newly established facility will provide comprehensive, patient-centred care, including pain management, symptom control, psychosocial support, emotional counselling, and end-of-life care for patients and their families.

The launch comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s growing cancer burden and limited access to palliative care services, a challenge that has left many patients, particularly women suffering from cervical, ovarian, vulva and other gynaecological cancers, enduring severe and often preventable pain.

Speaking at the inauguration, Executive Director of Project PINK BLUE, Runcie C.W. Chidebe, described the project as a transformative intervention that restores dignity and hope to patients confronting life-threatening illnesses.

“For too long, women with gynaecological cancer in Nigeria have had to endure pain that could have been managed.

 This centre is more than a building equipped with medicines and tools; it represents a commitment that every woman who walks through its doors will be treated with dignity, compassion and respect,” he said.

Chidebe noted that the organisation remains committed to supporting vulnerable cancer patients and ensuring that no Nigerian faces cancer alone.

The Chief Executive Officer of IGCS, Mary Eiken, commended the partnership, stressing that the project aligns with global efforts to tackle inequalities in cancer care.

According to her, the facility was made possible through funding from the International Gynecologic Cancer Advocacy Network ,IGCAN, under the Dicey Scroggins EDI Fund, which supports initiatives aimed at improving equitable access to quality care for women with gynaecological cancers worldwide.

“Project PINK BLUE has proven to be an invaluable partner, and we are proud to support this effort to strengthen palliative care services and improve patient outcomes in Nigeria,” she stated.

Also speaking, Dr. Tessy Oiza Ahmadu, Consultant Clinical Oncologist and Head of the Oncology Department at FMC Abuja, highlighted the urgent need for expanded palliative care services in Nigeria.

Citing World Health Organisation statistics, she noted that over 80 per cent of people requiring palliative care globally live in low- and middle-income countries, yet access remains severely limited.

“In Nigeria, palliative care infrastructure remains inadequate, while access to opioid analgesics essential for cancer pain management continues to be constrained by policy, supply chain and workforce challenges,” she said.

For the Chief Medical Director of FMC Abuja, Professor Saad Aliyu Ahmed, the new centre represents another milestone in the hospital’s drive to pioneer innovative healthcare services.

He described the facility as Abuja’s first dedicated Pain and Palliative Care Unit and said it aligns with Nigeria’s National Cancer Control Plan (2026–2030), the healthcare reform agenda of the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“FMC Abuja has a tradition of breaking new ground in healthcare delivery. This partnership with Project PINK BLUE reinforces our commitment to ensuring that no patient suffers unnecessarily from treatable pain while battling cancer or other serious illnesses,” he said.

Ahead of the commissioning, healthcare professionals from FMC Abuja and other institutions participated in a three-day intensive training workshop on pain management and palliative care organised by Project PINK BLUE and the hospital.

The workshop, held from June 9 to 11, featured renowned experts including Professor Tajudeen A. Olasinde, Clinical and Radiation Oncologist at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria; Professor Tonia Onyeka, President of the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Nigeria ,HPCAN; as well as leading oncology pharmacists and specialists.

Stakeholders at the event described the new centre as a critical intervention that will not only improve patient comfort and quality of life but also strengthen Nigeria’s broader cancer care ecosystem.

With the launch of the facility, Project PINK BLUE and FMC Abuja hope to set a new standard for compassionate, patient-focused cancer care while expanding access to essential pain relief and palliative services for thousands of Nigerians facing serious illnesses.