Get Guardian on GoogleThe National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) has commenced a pilot programme to provide free cervical cancer screening for 200 women in Cross River State as part of efforts to reduce cancer-related deaths among women.
The exercise, which is being conducted at Akim Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC), Calabar Municipality Local Government Area forms part of the second phase of a capacity-building initiative aimed at integrating basic cancer prevention services into family planning clinics.
The programme also involves training frontline health workers on cervical cancer prevention, screening and early detection, with particular emphasis on the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing method.
Speaking during the two-day training in Cross River, the Programme Coordinator, Cancer Prevention and Control Department of NICRAT, Fatima Idris, said the initiative was designed to ensure that women visiting health facilities for family planning services could also access cancer screening.
Idris explained that the first phase of the programme was conducted in December 2025, adding that the second phase focused on strengthening the capacity of health workers to conduct HPV DNA testing, identify suspected cases and refer patients for further medical attention.
She described HPV DNA testing as the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) preferred screening method, noting that the intervention would help detect infections early before they develop into cervical cancer.
According to her, the programme is being implemented in six states, including Cross River, Adamawa, Ebonyi, Kebbi and Kwara, with the pilot exercise expected to provide information for possible expansion across the country.
She said 200 women would benefit from free HPV DNA screening in Cross River, adding that the intervention was informed by the high burden of cervical cancer among Nigerian women.
Also speaking, NICRAT Consultant for Cross River and the South-South, Dr Taiwo Oyeniyi, said Akim PHC was selected for the pilot because of its strategic location, staff strength and proximity to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, where patients requiring advanced treatment could be referred.
Oyeniyi said about 20 health workers, including community health officers, community health extension workers, nurses, medical records officers, laboratory scientists and technicians, were involved in the capacity-building exercise.
He explained that the training covered theoretical knowledge and practical sessions to equip the workers with the skills required to screen women, collect samples, conduct tests and ensure proper documentation and follow-up.
He added that the screening process would involve registration, clinical assessment, sample collection and laboratory testing, with results expected within one hour using the portable testing machine provided for the exercise.
According to him, the machine could operate on battery power and be moved to different locations, making it possible to extend screening services to communities beyond the selected health facility.
In his address, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NICRAT, Prof. Usman Aliyu, said cervical cancer claimed the lives of nearly 20 Nigerian women daily, while breast cancer remained a leading cause of cancer deaths among women.
Aliyu said the programme was aimed at closing the gap between available cancer prevention interventions and access to screening services, particularly at the primary healthcare level.
He urged health workers to ensure proper sample collection, documentation and follow-up, stressing that the success of the intervention depended on the quality of services provided to women.
