By Vivian Ihechu
Continued engagement with Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and other state institutions is beginning to expand access to cancer care, says Maturin Tchoumi, a Senior Roche Executive.
However, according to him, late diagnosis and low breast cancer awareness are still costing lives.
Tchoumi, who leads Roche’s pharmaceutical business in Africa, spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, on the sidelines of the Africa Press Day 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, with the theme “Health is Wealth’’.
He noted that closer collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and NHIA was already translating into more women receiving breast cancer treatment under public schemes.
“This is so that breast cancer is detected earlier, because when breast cancer is detected earlier, the outcome of treatment is better.
“Unfortunately, that’s not the case today, in Africa as a whole, seven out of 10 women show up when it’s too late.
“In Europe, for example, if actually eight women show up early, the survival after five years is nine women in 10 who are still alive.
“In Africa, because seven out of 10 women show up too late, only five out of 10 are still alive five years after that.
“So for me, there is a call to action. Breast Cancer Awareness doesn’t stop on the 30th of Oct., Breast Cancer Awareness should be every day, each woman should every month, be checking her breast status,’’ he told NAN.
In Nigeria, he highlighted that through the Cancer Fund, over 300 women have been treated.
“Today, with the Cancer Fund and shift to national health insurance, we’re treating almost 800 women. To me, that’s real impact.”
Using that sample alone, he said, the partnership with the government had “more than double the number of women who have received the appropriate treatment in breast cancer.”
Speaking further on NHIA engagement and new investments, he noted that the policy direction was clear.
“Today, in Nigeria, the Minister of Health is working very closely with the NHIA to make sure that the government covers most Nigerians for cancer treatment.
“I can and have been part of this conversation to make sure it’s happened,” he said.
He pointed to a deal involving international financiers as part of efforts to extend services beyond the main cities.
“You can already see that earlier this year, the IFC signed an agreement with the sovereign fund to build a Cancer Centre in areas that are not Lagos or Abuja.
“This is in line with the strategy to ensure that cancer coverage is accessible and free for most Nigerians.
“How do we make sure that even those who can afford it but who are travelling to India get it in Nigeria?
“And today, we have everything in Nigeria to give the same care that people are getting in India or Turkey.
“We have a centre in LUTH, which is called Med Serve, and other ones.
“What we need to do more of is to help patients know that those centres exist. We need to help more patients go for their early detection, navigate them through those centres”.
He stressed the importance of ongoing breast cancer awareness and early detection, noting that in spite of increased coverage, outcomes in Africa are worse than in Europe because most women are diagnosed at an advanced stage.
NAN reports that the company along with its partners has been dedicated to rewriting the story of breast cancer in Nigeria through the Africa Breast Cancer Ambition (ABCA).
It estimated that the direct and indirect costs of breast cancer across 10 African countries, including Nigeria, were approximately $33 billion from 2017 to 2032.
ABCA seeks to boost women’s survival chances by improving breast cancer care, targeting a jump from 30 or 40 per cent early diagnoses to 60 per cent. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Oluwafunke Ishola
