The Nigerian Government has launched a nationwide free cancer screening programme, offering treatment to 6,000 persons across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The programme is part of a renewed effort to curb the rising cancer burden in the country.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, flagged off the initiative at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State, as part of activities marking the 2026 World Cancer Day.
Dr Salako said the programme was aimed at promoting early detection and prompt treatment of the three most common cancers in Nigeria, which are breast, cervical and prostate cancers.
He noted that late diagnosis remains a major contributor to the country’s high cancer mortality rate.
According to him, Nigeria bears the highest cancer burden in Africa, with deaths from the disease exceeding those from tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS combined.
“Incidentally, the death rate is higher in our environment than in the Western world due to late diagnosis and delayed commencement of treatment,” he said.
The minister described the free screening exercise as a reflection of the Federal Government’s emphasis on prevention as the most cost-effective strategy for addressing public health challenges.
Strengthening Cancer Prevention
He explained that the government was strengthening cancer prevention through vaccination, lifestyle modification and environmental protection.
The Minister stated that about 15 million girls aged nine to fourteen have received the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine nationwide to prevent future cases of cervical cancer.
“We have also introduced the hepatitis B vaccine as a primary prevention strategy against liver cancer,” he added.
Dr Salako further disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare was working towards instituting a national cancer screening programme, with pilot preventive oncology clinics already established in six centres across the country.
He said the government plans to integrate basic cancer screening services into primary healthcare centres before the end of President Bola Tinubu’s first term in May 2027.
He urged Nigerians to take personal responsibility by avoiding tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets, which he identified as major cancer risk factors.
The minister commended the Ogun State Government for providing a peaceful and enabling environment for healthcare delivery and praised the management of the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, for demonstrating leadership in service delivery.
Ultra Modern Cancer Centre
He also expressed optimism that an ultra-modern cancer centre would be commissioned at the facility before the end of the current administration, noting that this would strengthen cancer care services in Ogun State and beyond.
Dr Salako called on Nigerians to take full advantage of the free screening opportunity, stressing that early detection saves lives.
He formally declared the 2026 nationwide free cancer screening programme open, assuring that qualified medical experts from FMC Abeokuta and the University College Hospital, Ibadan, would provide quality services throughout the exercise.