Stakeholders have called for increased collaboration between the Nigerian government and private sector to strengthen cancer prevention and improve access to screening and treatment across the country.

The call was made at a policy roundtable organised by MSD (Merck & Co.) in partnership with Africa Health Business in Abuja, as the Federal Government announced that more than 18 million girls had received the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine since the national programme began in 2023.

The meeting, themed “Accelerating Cervical Cancer Elimination in Nigeria: Uniting Public and Private Sectors for Equitable Access,” focused on expanding HPV vaccination, improving institutional coordination and developing sustainable financing models for cervical cancer prevention and treatment.

The organisers said stronger private sector involvement was needed to complement government efforts across vaccination, screening, treatment and healthcare financing.

According to MSD, Nigeria has made cervical cancer elimination a national priority through a dedicated strategic plan aligned with the World Health Organisation’s 90-70-90 targets.

The company also noted that cervical cancer is among the three leading cancers covered by the Cancer Health Fund.

Since the HPV vaccination programme was introduced in October 2023, more than 18 million girls aged nine to 14 have been vaccinated, placing Nigeria among countries with the largest HPV vaccination programmes globally.

Speaking after the meeting, MSD External Affairs Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, Vuyo Mjekula, said the country had made progress despite the burden of cervical cancer.

Mjekula urged stronger cooperation between government, private healthcare providers, civil society organisations and patient advocacy groups to sustain the progress and extend preventive services to more eligible girls.

He said private sector participation could complement government programmes by supporting sustainable access to vaccines and expanding awareness and prevention initiatives.

The Director of Disease Control and Immunisation at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Rufai Ahmed Garba, said the agency oversees immunisation activities and drives policies aimed at eliminating HPV-related diseases.

Garba disclosed that more than 18 million girls had been vaccinated as of September, representing about 76 per cent of the targeted population.

He said the HPV vaccine had been incorporated into Nigeria’s routine immunisation programme and is provided free to nine-year-old girls at public health facilities, while older eligible girls can access it through private clinics.

According to Garba, Nigeria records about 12,000 new cervical cancer cases and nearly 8,000 deaths annually, making the disease a significant public health concern.

He also expressed concern over the emergence of cases among younger women, citing two stage-three cervical cancer cases involving women aged 23 and 26 at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada.

Garba identified poor health-seeking behaviour among adolescents as a challenge, noting that many young girls do not routinely visit healthcare facilities when they are not ill. He said this had made school and university-based awareness campaigns important.

The Director of Cancer Prevention and Control at the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Dr Usman Waziri, identified inadequate awareness, late presentation, treatment costs and limited access to quality healthcare as major barriers to early diagnosis.

Waziri said the government had established six cancer treatment centres across the six geopolitical zones and was working to establish six additional centres under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He added that NICRAT was piloting NISCAN, a hub-and-spoke early cancer detection programme currently operating in the Federal Capital Territory, with referrals made to the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi.

Waziri also disclosed that government-led cervical cancer screening began in Imo State in April and is expected to expand to Niger State and other parts of the country.

He added that the Cancer Health Fund, which supports indigent patients, was being digitised as part of efforts to improve access to cancer care.