By Admin
The Nigerian government has intensified implementation of the National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP) 2026–2030, with the goal of reducing the country's cancer burden by 30 per cent before the end of the decade. Nigeria also called for stronger collaboration among African countries to accelerate cancer prevention, research and access to quality care.
Speaking at the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) Best of ASCO Africa 2026 conference in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the renewed drive underscores the commitment to tackling non-communicable diseases under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Describing cancer as one of Africa's biggest public health challenges, Salako said the continent recorded more than 1.18 million new cases and over 721,000 deaths in 2024, with cancer now claiming more lives across Africa than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.
Salako said Nigeria accounts for about 10.5 per cent of Africa's total cancer burden, placing it among the three worst-affected countries on the continent alongside Egypt and South Africa.
He said the National Cancer Control Plan provides a comprehensive framework for strengthening cancer prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, research, workforce development, data systems, artificial intelligence, partnerships and resource mobilisation.
As part of efforts to drive implementation, Salako announced the inauguration of a multi-sectoral National Technical Working Group made up of clinicians, researchers, cancer survivors, civil society organisations, development partners and private sector representatives. The committee, he said, will oversee implementation of the plan using an implementation science approach designed to translate policy into measurable results.
He urged African researchers and oncology professionals to generate and validate evidence within African populations instead of depending largely on studies from other regions, stressing that locally generated research is critical to improving patient outcomes.
He advocated what he termed "Cancer Care Pan-Africanism," calling on African countries to deepen collaboration in cancer research, innovation, workforce development and access to treatment.
While Pan-African cooperation has traditionally centred on politics, trade and security, Salako argued that healthcare should now occupy a more prominent place in the continent's integration agenda.
He commended AORTIC, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and other partners for organising the conference, describing it as an important platform for adapting global advances in oncology to the realities of African health systems.
The Minister reaffirmed Nigeria's commitment to providing leadership in cancer education, research, advocacy and strategic partnerships aimed at reducing cancer incidence and mortality, improving patients' quality of life and building stronger, more resilient cancer care systems across Africa.
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