As part of its mission to accelerate the end-to-end elimination of cervical cancer and raise awareness about its debilitating impact, leading global healthcare and Biopharmaceutical Company, MSD, has emphasized need for increased support in battle against cervical cancer
MSD at recent hosting of the cervical cancer side-session at the 2025 edition of Africa Health Business conference in Nigeria hinted there are 102,000 new cancer cases yearly as well as 72,000 cancer-related deaths, making cancer one of the leading causes of deaths in Nigeria.
Cervical cancer in particular is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in Nigeria. Around 12,075 new cases and 7,968 deaths are recorded yearly, ranking the country as the 7th globally among nations with the highest number of cervical cancer cases.
In his welcome speech, Zweli Bashman, managing director of MSD for South Africa and the sub-Saharan African region noted that while progress had been made since the launch of the WHO Global Strategy for Cervical Cancer Elimination, a lot more needs to be done to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer.
He said: “We must accelerate the programme because every day that passes under the avoidable threat of cervical cancer leaves a lasting mark on our people, our economy and our future. Cervical cancer remains one of the most pressing public health challenges in Africa with Nigeria bearing the highest burden on the continent. Twelve thousand cases a year are not just statistics; they represent lives lost, families impacted, and communities devastated. It is clear that we must act decisively and collaboratively to reverse this trend.”
Bashman further commended the efforts of the Nigerian government towards eliminating the cervical cancer scourge while calling for concerted efforts from various stakeholders to speed up the eradication of the ailment. He noted : “The Nigerian government has already taken commendable steps, including the introduction of the HPV vaccination program and the establishment of the National Taskforce for Cervical Cancer Elimination. These initiatives provide a strong foundation for progress, but we must go further. To truly accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer, we need innovative solutions and an all-of-society approach that engages every sector—public, private, and civil society.”
Bashman reiterated the global healthcare provider’s backbone support for African countries in their battle against cervical cancer. He pledged MSD’s continuous support for Africa’s journey towards eliminating cervical cancer.
Read also: Why are thousands of women dying unnecessary deaths from cervical cancer globally
“Our HPV vaccine prevents up to 90% of cervical cancer cases by targeting high-risk HPV strains, many relevant to Africa,” he declared.
In his presentation titled ‘Accelerating cervical cancer elimination in Nigeria: From policy to practice’, Imran Morhason-Bello, honorary consultant, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, stated that Nigeria has the largest cohort of people that have been vaccinated against cervical cancer globally. Between 2023 till date, over 13 million young girls have been inoculated with the HPV vaccine.
He further commended the Nigerian government’s cervical cancer elimination efforts describing them as groundbreaking. “I’m happy that the current government under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare established for the first time a national task on cervical cancer elimination. I have done research to find out whether there is a similar response from any other country in sub-Saharan Africa and there is none,” he declared.
Morhason-Bello, a professor however declared the need for more concerted efforts as a large number of women still remain susceptible to cervical cancer. According to him, “60 million women in Nigeria are at risk of developing cervical cancer, while 22 women die daily.” .
Reiterating the success achieved in terms of HPV vaccination, Garba Ahmed-Rufai, director for Disease Control and Immunization, National Primary Health Care Development Agency projected that over 16 million young girls would have been vaccinated by 2026. He however said the successes achieved were not without serious challenges. According to him, the HPV vaccination program faced significant obstacles from misinformation and those opposed to vaccination. “People were told that girls who took the vaccine would not be able to bear children. There were also accusations that young girls would become promiscuous as a result of taking the vaccine, he said.
