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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Health & Science

Nigeria prioritizes hepatitis B, C prevention to curb liver cancer

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Nigeria's government is intensifying efforts to prevent and control hepatitis B and C to curb liver cancer.
  • The Minister of State for Health highlighted challenges like late presentation, inadequate diagnostics, and high treatment costs.
  • The government aims to integrate cancer screening into primary healthcare and strengthen financial protection for patients.

Nigeria's Federal Government is prioritizing the prevention and control of hepatitis B and C as a strategy to combat liver cancer. Minister of State for Health, Dr. Adekunle Salako, announced the intensified efforts at the 5th Africa Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Cancer Consortium Conference in Abuja.

Salako, represented by Prof. Musa Ali-Gonbe, acknowledged significant challenges hindering Nigeria's cancer response. These include late patient presentations, insufficient specialized diagnostic services, a shortage of skilled healthcare professionals, and limited access to advanced treatments. High treatment costs, weak health systems, and insufficient research also contribute to poor cancer outcomes.

Particular attention is being given to liver cancer through the prevention and control of hepatitis B and C, including vaccination, screening, diagnosis and treatment.

— Dr. Adekunle SalakoMinister of State for Health, speaking about the government's strategy at the Africa Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Cancer Consortium Conference.

The government's National Strategic Cancer Control Plan focuses on strengthening prevention and early detection of liver cancer, alongside expanding diagnostic and treatment services. This includes vaccination, screening, diagnosis, and treatment for hepatitis B and C. Efforts are also underway to integrate cancer screening into primary healthcare and improve referral pathways to tertiary centers.

"What is needed is stronger collaboration, coordinated action, sustainable financing and political commitment to translate knowledge and research into accessible healthcare services," Salako stated. He emphasized the importance of collaboration among government institutions, professional bodies, academia, civil society, development partners, and the private sector. The government is also enhancing financial protection for cancer patients through initiatives like the National Cancer Health Fund and the Cancer Access Partnership Programme, which offers subsidized chemotherapy medicines. Furthermore, the minister called for increased investment in African-led research, cancer registries, clinical trials, and the deployment of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence for early detection and diagnosis.

What is needed is stronger collaboration, coordinated action, sustainable financing and political commitment to translate knowledge and research into accessible healthcare services.

— Dr. Adekunle SalakoMinister of State for Health, emphasizing the need for multi-sectoral collaboration to improve cancer outcomes.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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