Former First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs Olufunso Amosun, has lamented the high cost of cancer treatment and the poor access to health facilities in low and middle-income communities in the country.

Speaking during the launch of its 2025 Free Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Programme at the Telemedicine Centre of the Federal Medical Centre Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Mrs Amosun, who is also the founder of The Uplift Development Foundation, disclosed that the initiative aims to empower women through knowledge and personal responsibility for their health, while also providing free screening and treatment options.

She stated that there is a need for early detection, noting that it remains the most effective prevention strategy.
She explained that cancer is not a death sentence, noting that several survivors have demonstrated that if detected early, breast and cervical cancers can be treated successfully.

According to her, the World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that over 19 million new cancer cases and nearly 10 million deaths are recorded worldwide each year, with breast cancer being the most diagnosed.

She added that while breast cancer accounts for 2.3 million new cases annually, cervical cancer kills over 300,000 women each year, and most of them in low-income countries.

“The situation in Nigeria is even more alarming. In 2025 alone, the country is projected to record 32,000 new cases of breast cancer, placing it among the nations with the highest mortality rates.

“For cervical cancer, Nigeria ranks 7th globally, with between 12,000 and 17,000 new cases yearly and about 8,000 deaths, translating to 22 Nigerian women dying every day.

“These sobering statistics highlight the importance of regular cancer screening and sustained awareness,” Amosun warned.

“Since its inception in 2012, the Uplift Development Foundation has been at the forefront of cancer advocacy, awareness, and screening programmes in Ogun State. The initiative has benefitted over 10,000 patients across the state.”

The Foundation has so far established and equipped cancer care clinics in the three senatorial districts of the state, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (Sagamu), General Hospital Ota, and General Hospital Ijaye in Abeokuta.

This year, Mrs. Amosun revealed that her husband, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has provided financial support for free lumpectomy surgeries for patients with suspicious lumps detected during the programme. Those with malignant lumps will undergo further histology and investigations.

“In previous editions, we have had to sponsor chemotherapy for urgent cases and, sadly, provide hospice care for others,” she added.

The former Ogun first lady emphasised that beyond free screening, the programme is designed to empower women through knowledge and personal responsibility for their health.

“This programme is not just about free screening; it is about empowerment through knowledge and reawakening of responsibility for our health,” she said.

Mrs. Amosun also commended medical partners, including the FMC Abeokuta, the Ogun State chapter of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), medical doctors, nurses, and volunteers who have supported the programme over the years.

She expressed hope that the 2025 edition would mark “a new chapter in reducing the prevalence of breast and cervical cancer in Ogun State, Nigeria, and the world at large.”