The Nigerian government has reaffirmed its determination to reduce the rising burden of cancer in the country through preventive health campaigns and early detection initiatives.
This was demonstrated on Saturday with the flag-off of the National Sports and Fitness Fiesta Against Cancer, which featured free cancer screening for more than 1,000 civil servants in Abuja, the first of its kind in the country.
The event, held at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, was organised by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with the Federation of Public Service Games (FEPSGA).
Delivering the keynote address, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, described the campaign as a call to action for the Nigerian workforce to prioritise their health and embrace preventive care.
Represented by Mrs Patience Nwakuso Oyekunle, Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office (OHCSF), she said the initiative was not just about exercise but a declaration that public servants were choosing “health, life, and hope.”
According to her, “Without health, there is no service. Without health, there is no progress,” emphasising that a healthy and resilient civil service is vital to achieving the national development goals of the current administration.
Walson-Jack expressed concern over the number of civil servants lost to cancer due to late diagnosis and urged participants to take advantage of the free screening exercise, which covered breast and cervical cancers for women, and prostate cancer for men.
She commended the turnout of staff across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), saying their participation showed that the civil service was leading by example in the promotion of wellness, productivity, and national development.
“You have not only invested in your own well-being but have shown that the public service is committed to reducing the burden of cancer in Nigeria,” she added.
In her opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, described the campaign as “epoch-making,” noting that Nigeria records over 127,000 new cancer cases annually, with breast cancer alone accounting for about 24 per cent.
She lamented that more than 80 per cent of cancer cases in Nigeria are diagnosed at advanced stages, unlike in developed countries, where routine screening and early detection lead to better survival rates.
“The disparity is clear. While developed countries have a higher incidence, low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria have higher mortality because of a poor screening culture. This is why we must act,” she said.
Kachollom reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to continue leading the fight against cancer and other non-communicable diseases in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.
She revealed plans to advocate for state governments to establish State Cancer Control Programmes during the forthcoming National Council on Health meeting to ensure routine cancer screening at subnational levels.
“Today’s event is not a one-off, It marks the beginning of our aggressive campaign for cancer prevention and early detection in Nigeria,” she said.
Medical experts at the event, including Dr Oyiza Oza, Head of the Oncology Department at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, underscored the importance of early screening and lifestyle modification as key to preventing cancer and other related diseases.
“Cancer is real, it is ravaging, and it is here with us,” Dr Oza said.
“The cheapest and most effective response is prevention through lifestyle change and regular screening. Early detection saves lives.”
The free screening exercise covered breast, cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancers, as well as general health checks for body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, blood sugar, and hepatitis B and C, which are linked to liver cancer.
Breast and cervical screenings are to be carried out at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, while other tests are to be conducted on-site at the stadium.
The Sports and Fitness Fiesta also featured awareness talks by medical professionals, aerobic sessions, and fitness displays.
Civil servants participated in various award categories, including Early Arrival, Best Kitted, Highest Attendance, and Best Behaved MDAs, with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare clinching the Best Behaved Award.
The event reinforced the federal government’s former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Eluonye Irabor’s, resolve to promote wellness, encourage physical activity, and champion preventive healthcare as the most sustainable approach to combating cancer and other lifestyle-related diseases.