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By ABC News Nigeria
The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) has launched a cervical cancer screening exercise for 200 women in Kebbi State, as part of a pilot programme designed to strengthen early detection and prevent avoidable deaths among women.
The initiative, which is being implemented across six states of the federation, is also targeting improved healthcare delivery through the training of health workers and the upgrading of facilities to support cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
The screening exercise is taking place at the Primary Health Centre, Takalau, in Birnin Kebbi, where women are being offered access to early detection services alongside routine family planning care.
NICRAT’s Consultant for the Integrated Cervical Cancer Prevention Programme, Dr Ishaq Lawal, said the intervention was designed to make cervical cancer screening more accessible by integrating it into existing family planning services.
Dr Lawal, a gynaecologist at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Birnin Kebbi, disclosed that the programme also involved training nurses, laboratory scientists and medical records personnel to ensure effective screening and appropriate follow-up care for women who test positive.
He stressed that early detection significantly improves the chances of successful treatment, noting that cervical cancer should not automatically be regarded as a death sentence.
The consultant therefore urged women to overcome fear and misconceptions about cancer screening and take advantage of available services to know their health status.
Speaking on behalf of NICRAT’s Director-General, Professor Usman Aliyu, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed said the programme would allow women visiting family planning clinics to undergo cervical cancer screening without necessarily making separate hospital visits.
She explained that the institute was stepping up public enlightenment and community mobilisation to encourage greater participation, particularly among women in rural communities who may have limited access to cancer screening services.
The initiative forms part of NICRAT’s broader efforts to reduce the growing burden of cervical cancer through accessible screening, improved healthcare capacity and timely treatment.
With 200 women targeted in Kebbi, the programme is expected to strengthen awareness of the importance of early detection while helping to prevent deaths that could otherwise be avoided through timely medical intervention.
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