By Folasade Akpan

Prof. Isaac Adewole, Chairman of the National Task Force on Cervical Cancer Elimination (NTF-CCE), says Nigeria will require N2.2 trillion to implement comprehensive cervical cancer interventions between 2026 and 2030.

Adewole, a former Minister of Health, made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during the launch of the Partnership to Eliminate Cervical Cancer in Nigeria (PECCiN), an initiative of the NTF-CCE.

The initiative, launched at the State House by the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, aims to accelerate Nigeria’s achievement of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 90-70-90 targets for cervical cancer elimination.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PECCiN seeks to catalyse multi-sectoral efforts to prevent, screen, and treat cervical cancer through sustained coordination, resource mobilisation, and scale-up of service delivery.

According to Adewole, the interventions are grouped into three categories: primary prevention, secondary prevention, and tertiary treatment.

He explained that the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination programme will be delivered through fixed sessions at health facilities and outreach-based immunisation campaigns.

“The total direct implementation cost over the five years is estimated at N387.52 billion.

“Including administrative and supervisory costs, the total cost of HPV vaccination will amount to N426.28 billion,” he said.

He said cervical cancer screening over the same period is estimated to cost N351 billion, targeting 14.4 million women.

On tertiary treatment, Adewole noted that nearly 300,000 women will require care for invasive cervical cancer between 2026 and 2030.

“The country is projected to spend approximately N1.42 trillion on treatment, with the cost per patient dropping from N8.7 million in 2026 to N4.1 million by 2030,” he added.

In spite of other competing priorities, he urged investment in cervical cancer elimination due to its high return on investment.

“We seek your commitment and support to implement robust cervical cancer elimination interventions in Nigeria.

“This will ensure that every woman is financially protected throughout her life and no eligible adolescent is left behind in HPV vaccination.”

Dr Muyi Aina, Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), said the Federal Government launched the HPV vaccine campaign on Oct. 24, 2023, targeting girls aged 9 to 14.

He announced that 14 million girls had already received the vaccine.

“This milestone is unprecedented globally and was achieved through strong leadership from President Bola Tinubu, the support of the First Lady, and collaboration across ministries and communities.

“The media also played a key role in spreading awareness and engaging civil society.”

Aina reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to sustaining the programme, stating that the HPV vaccine has been incorporated into the routine immunisation schedule and that primary healthcare centres are being revitalised to support service delivery.

Prof. Usman Aliyu, Director-General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), described cervical cancer as a serious burden affecting mothers, sisters, caregivers, and peers across communities.

He said the growing burden prompted the development of the National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Cervical Cancer (2023–2037).

“This plan, reflecting best practices and local realities, serves as our national roadmap for cervical cancer elimination,” he said.

Aliyu added that NICRAT has constituted a national taskforce comprising experts and stakeholders to drive implementation.

He also highlighted efforts to promote innovative research, harmonise treatment protocols, and expand culturally sensitive awareness and screening campaigns.

The event featured the presentation of the National Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan and the unveiling of the PECCiN partnership logo. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

By Adepote Arowojobe

Mr Gbolahan Ogunleye, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Saturday urged traditional medicine practitioners to enhance research on herbal drugs and treatments.

Ogunleye, who represents Ikorodu Constituency I under the APC, gave the advice during the presentation of tables and chairs to the Traditional Medicine Practitioners of Nigeria (TMPN), Ikorodu Branch.

The event took place at the TMPN Secretariat in Ikorodu.

Ogunleye said traditional medicine should be refined to gain wider acceptance, especially given global recognition of the practice.

“Traditional medicine practitioners are no longer seen as mere herbalists, unlike in the past. They must keep improving the practice to match Western standards,” he said.

He added that legislative backing would help boost public trust in traditional medicine and provide a proper framework for its development and regulation.

Ogunleye, who chairs the House Committee on Overseas Investment and Sustainable Development Goals, urged the association to review and amend relevant laws for better outcomes.

He assured the practitioners that the House would support any good proposals and enact laws that protect public interest, particularly in Ikorodu.

The lawmaker promised that Lagos State’s allocations would continue to reflect its diversity, with Ikorodu receiving its fair share of development.

“I’ll support laws to elevate traditional medicine as a credible aspect of the healthcare system. This includes encouraging research and cultivation of local herbs,” he said.

He reaffirmed the commitment of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to deliver more impactful projects in Ikorodu and across the state.

TMPN Secretary, Ms Oluwabunmi Ajibola, thanked the lawmaker for his consistent support, noting that the donation would enhance the association’s operations.

She said the gesture would help the group improve traditional medicine practices and strengthen its role as a viable complement to orthodox healthcare.

“We’re doing all we can to improve, gain wider acceptance, and fill critical gaps in healthcare delivery,” Ajibola added. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Edith Bolokor/Kamal Tayo Oropo

By Abujah Racheal

The Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTH), Lafia, is set to lead the establishment of Nigeria’s first vaccine research and development hub focused on Lassa fever and other infectious outbreaks.

Dr Ikrama Hassan, FUTH’s Chief Medical Director (CMD), unveiled the initiative on Saturday in Abuja during the inaugural vaccine research retreat.

Hassan said that the project was inspired by experience growing up in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital, where yearly outbreak of a mysterious illness plagued communities, often misdiagnosed as typhoid fever.

“It was not until my time at the University of Ibadan, studying Lassa fever, that I realised what had devastated my community for years was not typhoid.

“Even as a trained physician, I did not know,” he said.

He said that, as a former Director of Health Planning, Research, and Statistics in the state, he initiated the establishment of a vaccine research centre in 2019.

“Despite the facility’s completion, it has remained dormant for over six years. Now, as CMD of the host institution, I have made activating the centre my top priority.

“The impact will be monumental, not just for Nasarawa State, but for Nigeria and Africa as a whole,” he said.

To advance the project, Hassan said that he had brought on board key stakeholders, including Dr Simon Agwale, vaccine development expert and CEO of Innovative Biotech, who also hails from Nasarawa.

He said that Agwale had begun building partnerships with the Africa Centres for Disease Control (Africa CDC) and other global health agencies to support the centre.

“If this group cannot make this centre a reality, I do not think there is another that can,” he said.

He said that the COVID-19 pandemic had underscored the urgency of moving from reliance on imported vaccines to developing local solutions for epidemic-prone diseases like Lassa fever.

“Lassa fever is endemic in several Nigerian states, including Nasarawa, with annual outbreaks and long-term complications such as hearing loss among survivors.

“Despite its burden on public health, there is currently no widely available Lassa fever vaccine in the country,” he said.

Speaking at the retreat, Agwale highlighted the power of vaccines in saving lives and preventing disease.

He referenced the resurgence of measles in the U.S. as a cautionary tale of vaccine hesitancy.

“Vaccines led to the eradication of smallpox. Today, we talk about eradicating polio only because of vaccines,” he said.

“Vaccine development in Nigeria is hindered by limited early-stage research capacity and the absence of critical infrastructure.

“There is no institution in Nigeria that we can rely on to generate early-stage data for vaccine development,” he said.

He called for urgent investment in animal testing facilities, genomic labs, and other basic research infrastructure.

“Science is not guesswork. Without animal testing infrastructure, it is just guesswork,” he said.

Agwale said that Nigerian biotech companies were often forced to perform roles meant for universities due to capacity gaps in academic institutions.

“As a biotech company, we are doing everything,” he said.

He called for closer collaboration between academia, government, and industry, noting that locally developed vaccines can generate intellectual property (IP) to sustain universities financially.

“If an academic institution develops the vaccine, the IP belongs to them. That’s how research becomes sustainable,” he said.

He also drew attention to the global disparity in health research funding.

“The U.S. National Institutes of Health has a budget over 40 billion dollars, more than Nigeria’s entire national budget,” he noted. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman