Wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has made a passionate appeal to development partners, private sector players, non-governmental organisations, and academic institutions to commit their resources, expertise, and innovation to the national campaign to eliminate cervical cancer.
Speaking on Tuesday at the official unveiling of the Partnership to Eliminate Cervical Cancer in Nigeria (PECCiN) at the State House in Abuja, the First Lady stressed that the time had come for collective action against a disease that remains both preventable and deadly.
Her words: “At this juncture, I call on all development partners, the private sector, NGOs, and academic institutions to commit their resources, expertise, and innovation to this campaign. We count on you all to ensure that this collaboration succeeds”.
Describing the launch of PECCiN as the beginning of a “transformational journey in the health and dignity of Nigerian women and girls,” Mrs. Tinubu stressed that cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among women in Nigeria—despite being one of the most preventable.
According to her: “Cervical cancer is a silent killer, and one that strikes hardest at the most vulnerable women. Yet, this is a cancer that is preventable”.
She hailed the alignment of PECCiN with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on health, which seeks to prioritise the well-being of all Nigerians, especially women.
This initiative, she explained, underscores the administration’s determination to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat by 2030.
“Nigeria has shown that it is possible,” she noted, referencing the country’s successful nationwide rollout of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in 2023.
“In just nine months, we protected over 12 million girls. That is a landmark achievement”, the First Lady said.
Mrs Tinubu recognised the pivotal roles played by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, and global health partners including Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO, and UNICEF in achieving this milestone.
“But we cannot stop there. We must build on this momentum—expand HPV screening, scale up treatment through innovative, cost-effective technologies, and establish these services where they matter most: in our primary and secondary health care facilities”, she stressed.
The First Lady also urged state and local governments, healthcare professionals, and schools to become active champions of women’s health and immunisation.
She called on religious and traditional leaders to “advocate for truth and science,” noting their unique ability to shape public perception and influence community behavior.
“Funding and a lot of resources are needed,” Mrs Tinubu added, revealing that the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), her pet project, has already committed ₦1 billion to support the national campaign.
“I call on our State Governors, business leaders, and development partners to join in supporting this laudable initiative. Together, we must invest in a future where no woman dies from a disease that is preventable”, she said.
Commending key actors driving the initiative, the First Lady applauded the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammad Ali Pate, and the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, for their “commitment in driving health sector reforms.”
She also recognised the Chairman of the National Task Force for Cervical Cancer Elimination, Prof. Isaac Adewole, for his “instrumental effort in making this initiative possible.”
Addressing healthcare providers directly, Mrs Tinubu called them “the face of hope for millions of Nigerian women,” urging them to serve with “professionalism and compassion.”
“If we all join hands to make this Partnership work, in the next five years alone, we can prevent at least 60,000 deaths from cervical cancer in Nigeria,” she said.
“The launch event marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s intensified fight against cervical cancer and signals a high-level political will to marshal resources and partnerships to protect women and girls nationwide.
“Let us rise to this occasion and write a new chapter, one where every Nigerian girl and woman can live free from cervical cancer”, the First Lady further stated.
On its part, Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) also endorsed the national initiative to combat cervical cancer, affirming the collective commitment of state governments to tackle this pressing health challenge.
Speaking on behalf of all the 36 state governors, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, expressed strong support for the partnership, which is championed by the First Lady and aims to reduce the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer across the country.
Uzodinma highlighted the governors’ readiness to adopt necessary policies at the state level and ensure the allocation of domestic funding for cervical cancer prevention and treatment programs.
He stressed the importance of strengthening primary healthcare systems to deliver equitable services, especially to women in rural and underserved communities.
Earlier, Chairman of the NTF-CCE and former Minister of Health, Professor Ajewole, highlighted the urgency of the initiative saying: “Approximately 60 million Nigerian women are at risk of developing cervical cancer, and sadly, about 22 women die daily from this preventable and treatable disease.”
He stressed that PECCIN will drive coordinated, sub-national government-led expansion of cervical cancer elimination activities and foster multisectoral collaboration across public and private sectors.
Also speaking, Vice chairman of the committee, Zainab Shinkafi-Bagadu, highlighted the significance of the launch of PECCiN, emphasising a renewed commitment to combating cervical cancer in the country.
She reflected on the progress Nigeria has made in recent years, noting that despite previous challenges, there has been a remarkable increase in investment in the health sector, including the establishment of six new health facilities over the past two years.
She disclosed that approximately 13 million Nigerian girls have been vaccinated against HPV during this period, a milestone that aligns Nigeria with other leading African countries like Rwanda in the fight against cervical cancer.
Deji Elumoye
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