As Nigeria records about 128,000 new cancer cases every year, insecurity and conflict are increasingly cutting off vulnerable communities from early diagnosis and lifesaving treatment, the Imo State First Lady and Chairperson of First Ladies Against Cancer (FLAC), Barr. Chioma Uzodimma, has warned.
Speaking on Tuesday at the World Cancer Day Symposium organised by Project PINK BLUE, Health & Psychological Trust Centre in Abuja, Uzodimma painted a grim picture of a growing health crisis compounded by violence, displacement and fragile health systems.
The high-level gathering brought together policymakers, health experts, lawmakers, civil society actors and cancer survivors to interrogate how insecurity is worsening cancer outcomes across Nigeria.
“This is no longer just a health issue; it is a humanitarian and national emergency,” Uzodimma said.
‘Not Just Statistics — Real Lives’
According to her, the country’s cancer burden continues to place enormous strain on individuals, families and the health sector. She noted that breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Nigerian women, while prostate cancer leads among men.
Thousands of the deaths recorded annually, she stressed, are avoidable.
“If cancers are detected early and treated without interruption, many lives can be saved,” she said. “But insecurity is disrupting that possibility.”
Uzodimma lamented that health facilities in conflict-affected communities have been forced to shut down, while doctors and nurses flee due to attacks, kidnappings and killings. In parts of the South East, she added, prolonged sit-at-home orders have led to delayed chemotherapy sessions, missed follow-up appointments and interruptions in palliative care.
“These are not just statistics. They are mothers, fathers and children whose lives are cut short because care is unavailable or unsafe to access,” she said emotionally.
FLAC’s Expanding Response
As Chairperson of FLAC — a coalition of Nigerian First Ladies established in 2015 — Uzodimma said the group has consistently worked to close gaps in Nigeria’s cancer care continuum through awareness campaigns, screening initiatives, patient support programmes and policy advocacy.
Since 2025, she disclosed, FLAC has strengthened partnerships with federal and state governments, the private sector and international development partners to scale up cancer prevention, research and treatment efforts.
She highlighted ongoing collaborations with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and civil society organisations to advance cervical cancer elimination.
These interventions include supporting HPV vaccination for girls, expanding screening programmes and reaching thousands of women in underserved and vulnerable communities. She said the efforts are aligned with national and subnational strategies.
However, Uzodimma warned that conflict in the North East, North West and parts of the South East is eroding these gains. Disrupted supply chains, widespread displacement and deepening poverty are pushing many patients to seek care only at late stages, when survival chances are significantly reduced.
She called for urgent measures, including the deployment of mobile clinics, stronger protection for health workers, safe corridors for the delivery of medical supplies and expanded funding for the National Cancer Health Fund.
NICRAT: A Turning Point with Challenges
In his remarks, the Director-General of NICRAT, Prof. Aliyu Malami — represented by the Director of Clinical Services, Prof. Musa Ali-Gombe — acknowledged that Nigeria’s cancer control architecture still faces significant structural challenges.
He identified weak coordination among stakeholders, limited decentralisation of services and inadequate funding as major obstacles.
“Many actors are involved in cancer-related activities, but without a strong coordinating centre, there has been duplication in some areas and glaring gaps in others,” Ali-Gombe said.
He noted that cancer services remain concentrated in major urban centres, leaving rural and conflict-affected populations with limited access to prevention, screening and early diagnosis.
Nonetheless, he described the establishment of NICRAT as a historic turning point.
“For the first time, Nigeria has a dedicated agency and a budget line solely for cancer control,” he said.
According to him, funding for cancer care has steadily increased since 2020, although it remains far below the level required to meet the country’s growing needs.
Ali-Gombe also revealed that NICRAT has strengthened cancer registries across the six geopolitical zones to improve data accuracy and evidence-based planning. He described the production of a draft national cancer incidence report — the first of its kind — as a major milestone for policy formulation and programme implementation.
Free Treatment Programme, But Limited Reach
On access to treatment, Ali-Gombe explained that the National Cancer Health Fund currently provides free treatment for breast, cervical and prostate cancers at designated centres of excellence across the six geopolitical zones.
The programme, he said, is being piloted due to funding and specialist capacity constraints. However, plans are underway to expand both the number of treatment centres and the types of cancers covered.
He emphasised the need to integrate cancer care into Nigeria’s security and humanitarian frameworks.
“Displaced persons and populations affected by conflict continue to live with chronic conditions that require uninterrupted care,” he said. “Cancer services must be part of national emergency and humanitarian response planning.”
A Legislative Journey and Call for Implementation
Former Senator representing Abia North, Mao Ohuabunwa — sponsor of the bill that established NICRAT — described cancer as a national emergency demanding sustained political will.
He recalled the years of advocacy that preceded the passage of the NICRAT Establishment Act, crediting collaboration between lawmakers, medical experts and civil society advocates.
“It took persistence, negotiation and expert input to make it happen,” he said.
While acknowledging progress, Ohuabunwa stressed that legislation alone is not enough.
“The focus must now shift from lawmaking to implementation,” he said. “The benefits must reach the communities most in need, especially those affected by insecurity.”
He urged the National Assembly, the executive arm of government, civil society organisations and development partners to strengthen funding, oversight and accountability mechanisms in cancer control.
From Conversation to Action
Earlier in his welcome address, Project PINK BLUE Senior Finance and Administration Officer Lead, Godwin Kagior, said the symposium was designed to move stakeholders from dialogue to tangible action.
Established in 2014, Project PINK BLUE has spent over a decade on cancer awareness, advocacy, oncology training, research, patient navigation, psychological support and free screening initiatives.
Kagior described cancer not only as a medical condition but as a social justice issue, particularly in contexts of conflict, displacement and poverty.
“Behind every statistic is a human life whose chance of survival depends on the systems we build,” he said.
He noted that the annual World Cancer Day Symposium has evolved into a strategic platform for high-level engagement and national policy conversations.
Survivors’ Voices
The most poignant moments of the symposium came from cancer survivors and advocates who shared deeply personal experiences of misdiagnosis, delayed treatment and devastating loss.
Their testimonies underscored the human cost of systemic failure — reinforcing calls for cancer care to be treated not as an afterthought, but as an urgent national priority woven into Nigeria’s health, security and humanitarian response frameworks.
As the symposium ended, one message resonated clearly: Nigeria’s fight against cancer cannot succeed if hospitals are inaccessible, health workers unsafe and communities cut off by violence.
The battle against cancer, stakeholders agreed, must be fought on two fronts — against the disease itself and against the structural barriers preventing millions from accessing timely, life-saving care.
