… New cancer care centres in FCT underway
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has joined forces with the National Task Force on Cervical Cancer Elimination set up by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social to tackle and eliminate cervical cancer by 2030.
The partnership, according to FCTA, aimed to ensure a healthier future through sustained collaboration, improved access to cancer care, and strengthened public health interventions to prevent avoidable deaths and protect women in the FCT from this deadly disease.
The Mandate Secretary, FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, made this known to journalists during an event to commemorate the 2025 World Cancer Day with the theme “United by Unique”.
She noted that FCT was selected as the first state for engagement by the National Taskforce due to its outstanding performance and commitment to various healthcare initiatives, underscoring the need for collective action to ensure success of the advocacy campaign.
Dr. Fasawe said the theme of the 2025 world Cancer Day aligns with the FCT’s commitment to prioritizing people-centered care and further listed initiatives which include free HPV vaccination for girls aged 9-14, screenings in all FCT hospitals, training of primary healthcare workers in cervical cancer detection using visual inspection methods.
She added: “These holistic measures are designed to curb the prevalence of cervical cancer in FCT. Other measures are colposcopy screening services at Wuse District Hospital every Thursday, chemotherapy management at Asokoro District Hospital, statewide cancer prevention activities in collaboration with the City Cancer Foundation, including stakeholder mapping, needs assessments, and executive council engagements.
“Despite being preventable and treatable, late-stage diagnosis, limited treatment facilities, and lack of awareness continue to contribute to high mortality rates.”
She emphasized the need to combat stigma, misinformation and delayed treatment, all of which contribute to preventable cancer deaths.
Additionally, she revealed that the FCTA is working towards establishing fully equipped cancer care centers to expand access to affordable care, particularly in underserved areas.