NICRAT Pushes for Cancer Screening in Family Planning Services at PHCs Nationwide

By Wilson Ogbonnaya Okereke

The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) has called for the integration of cancer prevention and screening into family planning services across Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in Nigeria to improve early detection and reduce cancer-related deaths. The call was made at the weekend during a three-day training programme on integrating cancer prevention into family planning services, organised by NICRAT in collaboration with the Ebonyi State Ministry of Health at Centenary City, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital. Speaking at the event, the Director-General of NICRAT, Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu, represented by a Senior Scientific Officer, Mr. Musa Mutiu Terere, said the programme, which is ongoing across the six geo-political zones of the country, is designed to allow women to access breast and cervical cancer screenings while receiving family planning services at PHCs. Prof. Aliyu explained that breast cancer, which often presents with painless breast or armpit lumps and bloody nipple discharge, is the most common cancer among Nigerian women, while cervical cancer, caused by long-term infection with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), is the second most common. He stressed that both diseases are highly treatable when detected early. He noted that NICRAT, established under the NICRAT Act of 2017 and operational since 2023, is mandated to coordinate cancer research, prevention and treatment in Nigeria, covering breast, prostate, cervical, brain and blood cancers. According to him, late presentation remains one of the biggest challenges in cancer management in the country. “If people go to the hospital on time and get screened, cancer can be detected early and most cases are curable. Unfortunately, many people present very late when the disease has spread, leaving only management as an option,” he said. The Facilitator and Ebonyi State Team Lead for NICRAT’s Integration of Cancer Prevention Services into Family Planning Pilot Study, Dr. Maureen Ifeyinwa Okeke, described the programme as an awareness-driven intervention aimed at helping people understand their health status and the importance of early screening. She explained that family planning services provide a strategic platform to educate women of child-bearing age about cancers, while also creating awareness on prostate cancer among their spouses to promote early detection and community-wide enlightenment. Dr. Okeke disclosed that although the pilot study is currently being implemented in Abakaliki Local Government Area, NICRAT is working with media organisations and community mobilisers to expand the campaign to other parts of the state. She added that NICRAT would provide PHCs with training and screening kits by 2026, noting that the institute is also responsible for cancer diagnosis, treatment and palliative care. She commended the Coordinating Federal Minister of Health and Social Welfare for his support and urged health workers to maintain high ethical standards in service delivery. Dr. Okeke also encouraged members of the public to take advantage of the services at PHCs, saying the integration of cancer prevention into family planning would greatly reduce the risk of undetected cancer cases, especially among women. One of the participants, Mr. Donatus Egbe, described the training as timely and impactful, pledging to spread the information through schools, churches and town union meetings. “I will personally announce in village meetings and churches that cancer screenings are now available at primary health centres,” he said. A Registered Nurse-Midwife, Mrs. Nkeiruka Ogo, said decentralising cancer screening services to PHCs would help prevent silent deaths from cancer-related illnesses, particularly at the grassroots. She noted that the awareness campaign would be incorporated into immunisation schedules and antenatal programmes, as many people are more willing to visit PHCs than tertiary or secondary hospitals. Mrs. Ogo also emphasised confidentiality and cordial relationships between health workers and community members as key to building trust and encouraging people to come forward for screening. In his remarks, the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ikenna Ekuma, described the initiative as a lifesaving intervention and commended the Coordinating Minister of Health and NICRAT for bringing the programme to the state. He lamented that many women often present at hospitals with advanced-stage cancers, leaving doctors with limited treatment options, and stressed that most cancer-related deaths could be prevented through early detection. Dr. Ekuma thanked NICRAT for selecting Ebonyi State for the pilot programme and assured that the state government, under Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, would provide the necessary support to ensure its success.