The Federal Government on Saturday reaffirmed its commitment to reducing the burden of cancer in Nigeria with the launch of a National Sports and Fitness Fiesta Against Cancer, featuring free cancer screening for more than 1,000 civil servants in Abuja, the first of its kind in Nigeria.
The event, held at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, was organised by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with the Federation of Public Service Games (FEPSGA); aligning with prioritisation of staff welfare by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack.
It is part of activities marking the 2025 Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Delivering the keynote address, Walson-Jack said the campaign was not just about exercise, but a declaration that the Nigerian workforce was choosing “health, life, and hope.”
“Without health, there is no service. Without health, there is no progress,” she said, stressing that a healthy and resilient civil service is critical to driving the national development agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Walson-Jack noted that too many public servants have been lost to cancer, often due to late diagnosis. She therefore urged workers to take advantage of the free screening exercise.
“These include breast and cervical cancer screening for women, and prostate cancer screening for men. Please, do not leave this stadium today without being screened,” she told participants.
The Head of Civil Service, ably represented by Mrs. Patience Nwakuso Oyekunle Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office-OHCSF, applauded the turnout of civil servants across Ministries, Departments and Agencies; saying their participation demonstrated that the public service was “leading by example” in promoting wellness and productivity.
“You have not only invested in your own well-being but also shown that the civil service is committed to reducing the burden of cancer in Nigeria,” Walson-Jack further affirmed.
She added that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the federal government would continue to promote wellness programmes and preventive healthcare to build a strong and productive workforce.
The sports fiesta featured fitness sessions, aerobics, awareness talks by medical experts and, various award categories on Early Arrival, Best Kitted, Highest Attendance and Best Behaved MDAs. The Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare won the Best Behaved Award category.
In her opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, described the campaign as “epoch-making,” pointing out that Nigeria records over 127,000 new cancer cases annually, with breast cancer accounting for about 24 percent.
She lamented that more than 80 percent of cancers in Nigeria are diagnosed at advanced stages, compared to developed countries where screening and early detection lead to better survival rates.
“The disparity is clear, while developed countries have higher incidence, low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria have higher mortality because of poor screening culture. This is why we must act,” she explained.
Kachollom declared: “The Head of Civil Service Ma, ladies and gentlemen, I want to reiterate the commitment of the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Health to continue to lead the fight against cancer and other diseases in line with the renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.
“I make bold to say that today’s event is not just one off, it is just the beginning of our aggressive campaign for cancer prevention and early detection in Nigeria.
“As the Chairman of the Technical session of the National Council on Health, I will be leading the conversation for the State governments to set up State Cancer Control Programmes at the fort-coming National Council on Health to ensure establishment of routine cancer screening programmes at the subnational levels.
“This will enhance cancer prevention and control in every part of the country”.
Medical experts present also underscored the importance of prevention and early detection; Dr. Oyiza Oza, Head of the Oncology Department at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, told public servants that cancer shares risk factors with other non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
“Cancer is real, it is ravaging, and it is here with us. The cheapest and most effective response is prevention through lifestyle modification and regular screening. Early detection saves lives,” she said.
The screening exercise covered breast, cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancers, as well as general checks for body mass index, blood pressure, blood sugar, and hepatitis B and C, which are linked to liver cancer. Breast and cervical screenings are to be carried out at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, while other tests were conducted on site at the stadium.
