Health professionals raised serious concerns that millions of Nigerians affected by conflict and insecurity are being deprived of vital cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services.
They emphasized that escalating violence significantly hampers healthcare systems throughout Nigeria, exacerbating disparities in access to critical health services.
This urgent issue was brought to light during a World Cancer Day symposium held in Abuja on Tuesday, organized by Project Pink Blue. Health experts, advocates, and policymakers came together to discuss how ongoing insecurity is worsening the cancer crisis in Nigeria and deepening inequalities in care access.
Bala Audu, the President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), addressed the attendees, highlighting the lack of cancer services in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, where approximately 3.5 million women and children currently reside nationwide.
Audu explained that conflicts disrupt the cancer care continuum, impacting everything from early screening to treatment and aftercare, due to the destruction of health facilities, displacement of healthcare workers, and breakdown of referral systems.
“Conflicts create a perilous environment for travel, obstruct supply chains, and lead to the closure of clinics. Continuous delivery of cancer care is essential, but conflict undermines this continuity,” he remarked.
He further noted that healthcare workers often hesitate to operate in high- risk areas, resulting in many health facilities being undermanned and unable to offer even basic cancer care services.
“The challenge of providing cancer care arises from the insecurity that disrupts diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up, especially for those who are already displaced,” he added.
In regards to preventable cancers, Audu stated that prevalent forms of cancer in Nigeria, such as breast, cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancers, could be largely avoided through standard screening and early detection practices.
He pointed out the global initiative aimed at eradicating cervical cancer as a significant public health concern by 2030, yet it remains the second most common cancer among Nigerian women, highlighting severe gaps in preventive measures and access.
He mentioned that in IDP camps, essential services like the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination are often overlooked in routine immunizations, even as women and girls in these situations remain particularly vulnerable.
“This indicates that both preventive and curative cancer care is consistently deprioritized, even outside conflict situations,” he asserted.
Audu stressed the importance of enhanced cooperation among government bodies, healthcare providers, and civil society organizations to broaden screening for preventable cancers and improve access to care in communities affected by conflict.
He reiterated that insecurity across various regions in Nigeria—including the North-east insurgency, North-west banditry and kidnappings, South-east separatist violence, communal clashes in the North-central area, and militancy in the Niger Delta—has severely impacted healthcare delivery.
He noted that the destruction and closure of health facilities, along with the kidnapping or relocation of healthcare workers, have compromised referral systems and made it increasingly difficult to maintain continuity in cancer care.
“In conflict situations, even elementary healthcare services suffer profoundly. The ramifications on complex issues such as cancer diagnosis and treatment are profound,” he noted.
He added that the exodus of healthcare workers from insecure locations has further intensified staffing shortages and caused a significant brain drain.
At the symposium, Chioma Uzodinma, the First Lady of Imo State and Chair of First Ladies Against Cancer (FLAC), expressed that cancer represents one of Nigeria’s most pressing public health crises.
Uzodinma highlighted that the country sees around 128,000 new cancer cases emerging every year, straining families and the healthcare system alike.
Breast cancer emerged as the leading cause of cancer-specific fatalities among women, resulting in over 16,000 deaths annually, while prostate cancer leads mortality rates for men, she reported.
“These statistics are not mere numbers; they represent the lives of mothers, fathers, children, and communities devastated by a disease that is often preventable and manageable if detected early,” she cautioned.
Uzodinma cautioned that advancements in cancer prevention and treatment are increasingly jeopardized by conflict and insecurity, particularly in the North-east, North-west, and certain areas of the South-east, where assaults on healthcare facilities and workers have disrupted operations.
She pointed out that insecurity has led to a rise in late presentations of cancer, with studies indicating that over 70% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at advanced stages in Nigeria.
Concerns were also raised about the country’s inadequate capacity to treat cancer, as it reportedly needs about 220 radiotherapy machines but has fewer than 15 available.
“In regions plagued by conflict, interrupted transportation networks, insufficiently resourced facilities, and high out-of-pocket expenses leave countless individuals without access to essential life-saving treatment,” she stated.
Uzodinma concluded that women in rural and displaced scenarios frequently resort to self-medication or various traditional remedies, which further delays timely medical intervention and degrades treatment outcomes.
Godwin Kagior, a senior official at Project Pink Blue, noted that the organization convened this meeting to address how conflict and insecurity exacerbate existing gaps in cancer care and to develop actionable strategies to ensure continuity of services in vulnerable areas.
He affirmed that the annual World Cancer Day symposium acts as a platform for high-level discussions, policy dialogues, and accountability aimed at addressing these critical issues.
Kagior emphasized that behind every statistic lies an individual’s life, and urged that the outcomes of the symposium should lead to stronger partnerships and concrete solutions to guarantee access to cancer care for all, regardless of insecurity or displacement.
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