National Strategic Plan for Prevention and Control of Cancer of the Cervix

What Is This Policy?

The National Strategic Plan for Prevention and Control of Cancer of the Cervix (NSP-CCC) is Nigeria’s dedicated strategic framework to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem. Developed by NICRAT in partnership with the WHO and development partners, it aligns with the WHO Global Strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer by 2030. The Plan sets ambitious, phased targets for HPV vaccination, screening, and treatment across Nigeria’s healthcare continuum from primary healthcare centres to tertiary institutions.

Who Does It Target?

Girls aged 9–14 years eligible for HPV vaccination through the national immunisation programme Women aged 25–65 years eligible for cervical cancer screening (over 61 million at-risk women and girls in Nigeria) State and federal health facilities providing screening, diagnosis, and treatment services Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), General Hospitals, and Tertiary Cancer Centres Health workers, nurses, and midwives requiring training in cervical cancer screening protocols Development partners, CSOs, faith-based organisations, and community stakeholders involved in outreach and demand creation

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

Achieve the WHO 90-70-90 elimination targets: vaccinate 90% of girls, screen 70% of women, and treat 90% of detected cases by 2030 Screen at least 50% of eligible Nigerian women and treat 100% of detected precancerous lesions by 2027 Integrate HPV vaccination and cervical screening into routine Primary Health Care (PHC) services nationwide Strengthen health system capacity for cervical cancer diagnosis, pathology, and treatment at all levels Establish a coordinated national data and surveillance system for cervical cancer incidence, screening coverage, and outcomes Reduce the annual estimated 7,100 cervical cancer deaths in Nigeria through sustained, evidence-based interventions

Key Features

HPV Vaccination Integration: Single-dose HPV vaccination introduced into routine immunisation in October 2023; initial campaign reached over 12 million girls aged 9–14 years 90-70-90 Framework: Phased, milestone-driven implementation aligned with the WHO global elimination strategy, with yearly progressive targets National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination (NTF-CCE): 15-member government task force established August 2024, chaired by Prof. Isaac Adewole, to coordinate implementation and submit quarterly progress reports Screening & Treatment Scale-Up: Targets integration of screening into PHC using Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) and HPV DNA testing; fewer than 12% of eligible women are currently screened Phased Implementation Approach: Interventions sequenced with progressive milestones per year to accommodate resource-constrained settings Monitoring & Evaluation: Defined performance indicators and M&E plan with reporting through NICRAT to the Federal Ministry of Health Collaborative Development: Co-developed with WHO, development partners, and multi-sectoral government agencies with an agreed collaborative funding approach

Current Status

Rollout Stage: Officially launched at NICRAT’s International Cancer Week event, October 2023, alongside the National Strategic Cancer Control Plan 2023–2027 and National Cancer Research Agenda 2024–2027 HPV Vaccine: Nigeria launched a two-phase national HPV vaccination campaign in October 2023; over 12 million girls reached via single-dose schedule Screening Gap: Fewer than 12% of eligible women have been screened for cervical cancer closing this gap is the plan’s central challenge Disease Burden: Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality among Nigerian women, with an estimated 13,700 new cases and 7,100 deaths annually NTF-CCE: 15-member National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination established August 2024 to drive implementation and accountability Cancer Trust Fund: Recently transferred from the Federal Ministry of Health to NICRAT to improve operational capacity

How to Access

Government Health Facilities: Cervical cancer screening integrated into PHC centres, general hospitals, and tertiary facilities under the plan’s phased rollout HPV Vaccination: Girls aged 9–14 years to access vaccination through routine national immunisation programme at PHC level via the NPHCDA Healthcare Workers: Training programmes with standardised curricula and master-trainer networks available through NICRAT Partners & CSOs: Engagement opportunities in advocacy, community mobilisation, and service delivery through NICRAT’s partner framework Contact: National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT): nicrat.gov.ng | Federal Ministry of Health: health.gov.ng | NPHCDA: nphcda.gov.ng

Important Terms

VIA (Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid): Low-cost, field-adaptable cervical cancer screening method suitable for PHC-level deployment HPV (Human Papillomavirus): The primary infectious cause of cervical cancer; HPV vaccination is the most cost-effective primary prevention strategy NTF-CCE: National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination, the inter-agency body responsible for coordinating implementation and reporting progress quarterly NICRAT: National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment the lead federal agency for cancer policy, research, and implementation in Nigeria, operationalised in 2023

Impact & Metrics

Nigeria ranks first in sub-Saharan Africa for cervical cancer incidence and mortality, with an estimated 13,700 new cases and 7,100 deaths annually An estimated 61 million women and girls in Nigeria are at risk of developing cervical cancer among the highest absolute numbers globally Current screening coverage is below 12% of eligible women, compared to the WHO 70% target scaling up is the plan’s most urgent implementation priority The October 2023 HPV vaccination campaign reached over 12 million girls, representing a major step toward the 90% vaccination target The plan targets screening 50% of eligible women and treating 100% of detected precancerous lesions by 2027 Approximately 120,000 new cancer cases occur yearly in Nigeria; in 2020, an estimated 78,000 people died of cancer-related complications

Official Resources

Website: nicrat.gov.ng | health.gov.ng | nphcda.gov.ng Policy Document: National Strategic Plan for Prevention and Control of Cancer of the Cervix 2023–2027 available via NICRAT Contact: National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Abuja

Legal Framework

The National Strategic Plan for Prevention and Control of Cancer of the Cervix (NSP-CCC) operates under the National Cancer Control Plan, the National Health Act 2014, and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS Act (on HPV co-infection with HIV). It aligns with the WHO Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem (2020–2030), the SDG 3.4 target on non-communicable disease prevention, and the UICC (Union for International Cancer Control) framework.