22 Nigerian women die daily from preventable cervical cancer — NIMR raises alarm

2026-02-24 - 00:35

...Say late diagnosis, low screening rates drive rising cancer deaths By Chioma Obinna By the end of today, 22 Nigerian women will have died from cervical cancer and before tomorrow, another 33 will be newly infected, researchers at the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, have disclosed. Giving the stark warning during the Institute’s Monthly Media Chat in Lagos, the Director and Deputy Director-General, Professor Oliver Ezechi, described the daily toll as unacceptable for a disease that is largely preventable. Citing the World Health Organisation’s report on Nigeria, he said: “Every day at least 22 women die from cervical cancer in Nigeria, and another 33 new cases occur. We must ask ourselves why this is happening,” he said. Ezechi attributed the rising burden to low awareness, poor screening uptake and limited vaccination coverage against the Human Papillomavirus, HPV, and the virus responsible for nearly all cases of cervical cancer. Addressing journalists on findings from NIMR’s molecular detection and genotyping studies on HPV, the Deputy Director of Research at the Institute, Dr. Chika Onwuamah, said infection rates remain alarmingly high across the country. Between January 2015 and December 2019, surveys conducted across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones revealed a 34 percent HPV infection rate among women, with 27 percent linked to high-risk strains. “There are over 200 types of HPV, but only about 15 are considered high-risk because they can lead to cancer. In about 90 percent of young people, the body clears the infection naturally. The problem is when the infection persists. Persistent infection can cause changes in the cells, and if not treated, it can lead to cancer,” Onwuamah explained. He noted that high-risk types 16 and 18 remain the strains most strongly associated with cervical cancer in Nigeria. “When types 16 and 18 occur, they tend to persist longer and are more likely to lead to cancer,” he said. Onwuamah further revealed that lifestyle and behavioural factors are worsening the situation. Women who smoke or consume alcohol were found to be at higher risk of infection, with combined habits increasing susceptibility. Pregnant women and female commercial sex workers also recorded elevated infection rates. “What makes it more disturbing is that Nigeria has over 60 million women aged 15 and above who are at risk. This is not a small population,” he warned. The study also exposed gaps in prevention. Only 27 percent of women surveyed knew HPV could be prevented with vaccines, while just six percent had received vaccination. “These findings highlight a critical public health challenge. Awareness is low, vaccination uptake is poor, and screening is not widespread enough. Education reduces risk. Women need to know that vaccination and early screening can save their lives,” Onwuamah added. Globally, cervical cancer remains one of the leading killers of women. In 2020 alone, there were about 604,000 new cases and 342,000 deaths worldwide. In Nigeria that same year, 12,100 cases were recorded, with nearly 8,000 deaths, though experts warn that the true figure may be higher due to underreporting. Nigeria began integrating the HPV vaccine into routine immunisation in 2023, targeting girls aged nine to 14 with a single-dose schedule, in line with the elimination strategy of the World Health Organization. Quoting the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, Onwuamah underscored the urgency of vaccination. “The loss of about 8,000 women yearly from a disease that is preventable is unacceptable. I speak not only as a minister but as a father of four daughters. We must vaccinate our girls,” he said. Responding to questions, Onwuamah who lamented that despite the vaccine rollout, screening rates remain dangerously low and that most women present at advanced stages of the disease. “Cervical cancer does not cause pain in the early stages. The signs may be there, but women do not report early. By the time they come to the hospital, it is often stage three or four,” he said. He cited cultural barriers, limited access to female healthcare providers and fear as major obstacles to screening, but noted that new research from NIMR shows self-sample HPV testing is highly reliable and could expand access, especially in rural and culturally restricted communities. “Public health is about doing the greatest good for the largest number. We have a vaccine that can prevent up to 80 to 90 percent of these cancers. It is available. It is effective. The tragedy is not that we do not know what to do. The tragedy is that we are not doing it fast enough,” Onwuamah stated.