By Mercy Gadia
The Federal Government has strengthened its partnership with China to expand cancer care and radiotherapy capacity in Nigeria, with plans to increase technology transfer, professional training and local servicing of oncology equipment.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed this while delivering the opening address at the LINK Global Summit on Innovation and Practice in Oncology held at the China National Convention Centre in Beijing, China.
Salako said Nigeria’s participation in the summit was part of the government’s efforts to move beyond observing global advances in cancer treatment to actively shaping innovation and bringing relevant technologies and expertise into the country.
He said the government had inaugurated the Radiotherapy Working Group of the China-Africa Hospital Alliance and the LINK Global Oncology Alliance, with Nigeria as a founding African partner.
The minister also disclosed that Nigeria had signed a strategic cooperation agreement with LinaTech, a Chinese technology company specialising in advanced radiation therapy solutions.
According to him, cancer remains a national priority, with Nigeria recording an estimated 127,763 new cancer cases and 79,542 deaths from the disease in 2022.
Salako noted that breast, prostate and cervical cancers accounted for more than 40 per cent of cancer mortality in the country.
He, however, said the mortality-to-incidence ratio had improved from 62.3 per cent in 2022 to 59.6 per cent in 2024, stressing that more work was needed to achieve better outcomes.
The minister said the Federal Government had, since May 2023, accelerated interventions in cancer prevention, awareness, early detection, treatment, financing, infrastructure and research under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
He cited the introduction of the Human Papillomavirus vaccine into Nigeria’s routine immunisation programme in October 2023, saying more than 14 million girls aged between nine and 14 had been reached.
Salako also highlighted the National Initiative for Cancer Early Detection, Screening and Coordinated Access to Network Care, alongside interventions by the Task Force for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer.
He said the National Cancer Access Programme, Catastrophic Health Insurance Scheme, National Cancer Health Fund and Social Determinants of Cancer Care Fund were helping to improve access to cancer medicines and reduce the financial burden on patients and their families.
On infrastructure, Salako disclosed that six cancer centres of excellence were being developed across the country, with three already completed and commissioned in Katsina, Enugu and Benin.
He said the centres had been equipped with modern linear accelerators, while the remaining three were at various stages of completion.
The minister further revealed that President Tinubu had approved the procurement and installation of 35 additional linear accelerators between 2026 and 2028 to expand access to radiotherapy services.
“Earlier this year, Mr President approved the procurement and installation of thirty-five additional linear accelerators for between 2026 and 2028 to further increase access to radiotherapy in the management of solid cancers,” he said.
Salako said the initiatives were being implemented under the Nigeria National Cancer Control Plan 2026–2030, which prioritises prevention, decentralised diagnosis and treatment, financial protection, oncology workforce development, clinical trials and cancer registries.
He also disclosed that the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment had trained about 140 early-career cancer scientists and supported 24 research grants.
The minister said the government’s partnership with China would support technical assistance in radiotherapy, joint research and development, academic exchanges and professional capacity building.
He called for the twinning of Nigerian cancer centres of excellence, the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment and tertiary institutions such as the National Hospital, Abuja, with leading Chinese cancer hospitals.
Salako also proposed the establishment of a designated clinical training base in Nigeria to serve as a West African hub for advanced radiotherapy training, alongside fellowship opportunities in China for Nigerian radiation oncologists, medical physicists, radiotherapy technologists and biomedical engineers.
Looking towards 2030, he said Nigeria would pursue technology transfer, local assembly and servicing of radiotherapy and imaging equipment, joint clinical trials, cancer registry-linked research, artificial intelligence-assisted treatment planning, adaptive radiotherapy and tele-oncology.
The minister stressed that expanding cancer infrastructure must go hand in hand with developing the personnel needed to operate and maintain the equipment.
“Machines without people are monuments,” Salako said, adding that every linear accelerator installed must be supported by trained personnel, maintenance systems and sustainable technical support.
He said Nigeria was ready to work with international partners to ensure that oncology innovations translated into improved patient care.
“Innovation in oncology is meaningful only where it reaches the patient. Let this summit be remembered not for what was displayed, but for what was delivered. Nigeria is ready, our plan is costed, our partners are welcome, and the patients are waiting,” he said.