The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) has commenced a free cervical cancer screening programme in Ebonyi State, targeting 200 women as part of efforts to promote early cancer detection and prevention across the country.
The initiative seeks to integrate cancer screening into family planning services at primary healthcare centres, making preventive healthcare more accessible to women, particularly in underserved communities.
The programme is being implemented in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the National Task Force on Cervical Cancer Elimination. It forms part of a nationwide intervention covering six states, representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Speaking during the screening exercise in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Health, Moses Ekuma, described cervical cancer as a preventable and treatable disease, emphasising that regular screening and early detection remain critical to reducing cancer-related deaths.
Ekuma urged women across the state to take advantage of the free exercise, noting that identifying abnormal cervical cells at an early stage could improve treatment outcomes. He also disclosed that the state government was willing to support an expansion of the screening target from 200 to 2,000 women.
He said the initiative aligns with Governor Francis Nwifuru’s People’s Charter of Needs agenda, which prioritises improved healthcare delivery and the prevention of avoidable deaths.
The commissioner recalled that the state had previously conducted screening campaigns for cervical, breast and prostate cancers, adding that healthcare workers would be mobilised to intensify public awareness and encourage women to access screening services at primary healthcare facilities.
Meanwhile, the NICRAT State Team Leader for the National Initiative for Cancer Early Detection, Screening and Coordinated Access to Network Care (NISCAN), Ifeyinwa Okeke, said the exercise marked the second phase of the programme.
She explained that the first phase, conducted in December 2025, focused on breast cancer awareness and screening, while the current phase is dedicated to cervical cancer prevention.
Okeke disclosed that health workers from three primary healthcare centres were receiving training on the administration of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA tests, a screening method recommended by the World Health Organisation for identifying women at risk of cervical cancer.
She added that the programme would also strengthen cancer data collection, improve referral systems and integrate routine screening into family planning services.
Giving an update on the previous phase, Okeke revealed that more than 10,000 women were screened for breast cancer, with four women found to have abnormalities and referred to the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki for further evaluation.
For the ongoing exercise, she said NICRAT had provided a TrueNAT machine to support HPV testing, while additional equipment, including a thermal ablation machine and a colposcope, would be deployed to support further examinations and treatment.
Also speaking, NICRAT Senior Scientific Officer, Musa Segun Terere, who represented the Director-General, Usman Malami, said the NISCAN programme was established to promote early cancer detection and ensure that individuals with suspected abnormalities receive appropriate medical attention.
Terere explained that women diagnosed with precancerous cervical lesions could undergo thermal ablation, a procedure used to destroy abnormal cervical tissue, while those requiring specialised care would be referred to tertiary health facilities.
He stressed that the initiative goes beyond screening, as it also seeks to ensure that beneficiaries receive the necessary medical attention and follow-up care.
Meanwhile, beneficiaries, Ibere Chinanye and Modester Oroke, commended NICRAT and its partners for providing the screening services free of charge.
However, they appealed to the organisers to extend the duration and coverage of the exercise to accommodate more women.
They also called for increased publicity through radio, television and other communication platforms, noting that many women remained unaware of the programme.
The beneficiaries urged the institute and its partners to sustain the initiative and expand awareness campaigns to encourage greater participation in cervical cancer prevention.
The intervention is expected to improve access to preventive healthcare and strengthen early cancer detection in Ebonyi State, particularly among women who may face financial barriers to screening.
