Nigerian paediatric oncologists have secured a partnership with United States-based collaborators to deploy a new diagnostic technology that can reduce testing timelines for childhood cancer from weeks to just 48 hours.

Under the initiative, at least 2,000 Nigerian children are expected to gain access to the advanced diagnostic service, significantly accelerating diagnosis, treatment decisions and improving survival outcomes.

The development comes as the Lagos State Government adopts a multi-pronged strategy to tackle rising childhood cancer cases, improve survival rates and strengthen healthcare delivery, with plans to establish new specialist institutions and expand human capacity.

This was disclosed at the 16th Biennial Congress of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) Africa, co-hosted by the Dorcas Cancer Foundation (TDCF) and the Nigerian Society of Paediatric Oncology, held in Lagos.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, said Nigeria currently has an estimated 270,000 people living with cancer, with about 120,000 new cases recorded annually, while survival rates still lag behind global targets set by the World Health Organisation.

Sanwo-Olu noted that survival outcomes are closely tied to the availability of dedicated cancer institutions, pointing out that Lagos, with an estimated population of 30 million, has fewer specialised facilities compared to smaller cities such as Johannesburg.

He disclosed that the state is constructing a 150-bed, purpose-built Massey Children’s Specialist Referral Hospital to serve as the apex centre for paediatric care in Lagos.

According to him, the hospital will provide advanced subspecialty services and function primarily as a referral centre for complex and critical childhood conditions from over 300 primary healthcare centres, thousands of private hospitals and dozens of general hospitals across the state.

He added that the state is also developing the Lagos State Comprehensive Cancer and Diagnostics Centre to address gaps in oncology care and offer end-to-end services, including advanced diagnostics, molecular testing, surgical oncology, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Sanwo-Olu further disclosed plans to establish a stand-alone University of Medicine and Health Sciences focused on training healthcare professionals across disciplines, with about 300 graduates expected annually.

He noted that the state is also rolling out the Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP) to integrate all public health facilities and improve data collection for planning and resource allocation.

According to him, the digitalisation process is already 50 per cent complete and is expected to cover all public health facilities within six months.

Chair of the Scientific Committee for the conference and Founder of the Dorcas Cancer Foundation, Dr Adedayo Joseph, said Africa still faces major challenges in childhood cancer survival, with rates above 90 per cent in high-income countries compared to just 20–30 per cent in many low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria.

Joseph, who also heads Paediatric Radiation Oncology at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), explained that the conference brought together global and local scientists, clinicians, survivors, advocates, funders and policymakers, all focused on improving survival rates for children with cancer across Africa.

“We engaged partners from the U.S. who approved onboarding at least 2,000 Nigerian children onto a new diagnostic technology that reduces testing timelines from weeks to 48 hours. That is one of the key outcomes achieved within the first 48 hours of this conference,” she said.

Joseph added that Nigeria has joined the World Health Organisation’s Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, supported by the recently launched National Cancer Control Plan by the Federal Ministry of Health, marking the first time paediatric oncology has received such prominence in national policy.

“Children can be cured of cancer if they have access to quality medicines, radiation and surgery. Every child saved represents 40 to 60 years of life restored to the community and the economy,” she said.

Also speaking, President of SIOP Africa, Dr Jennifer Geel, noted that childhood cancer is largely curable, with survival rates of up to 80 per cent achievable using existing technology and treatment. However, she expressed concern that survival rates in many African countries remain as low as 20 per cent.

Geel said that while Africa has skilled medical professionals and the required expertise, governments must invest more in healthcare systems, as treatment remains prohibitively expensive for many families. Without health insurance or government support, she noted, many patients are unable to continue care.

She emphasised the importance of collaboration among African countries and international partners to improve outcomes, describing such conferences as critical platforms for knowledge sharing and capacity building.

Geel also called for stronger health system audits, improved patient tracking and enhanced diagnostic accuracy to ensure more children are identified and treated early.