The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC Ltd), through its Corporate Social Responsibility arm, NNPC Foundation, has announced the launch of a free cancer screening campaign aimed at addressing the increasing prevalence of cancer in Nigeria.
The initiative, titled “Cancer Awareness and ZSX Screening,” seeks to provide essential health services to indigent Nigerians while also promoting health education and awareness.
The campaign is designed to reach approximately 3,000 individuals across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, with screening centers established in Kaduna, Rivers, Ondo, Benue, Imo, and Gombe.
It will focus on the most prevalent cancers affecting Nigerians, including breast, cervical, and prostate cancers. In addition to screenings, the program will offer workshops and consultations with healthcare professionals to empower participants to recognize early symptoms and understand the significance of regular screenings.
Emmanuella Arukwe, the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, emphasized the campaign’s broader goals, stating, “The fight against cancer requires a collective effort and a commitment to ensuring accessible healthcare. This campaign is about more than just screening; it’s about saving lives, building awareness, and creating pathways to preventive care for Nigerians who need it most.”
Arukwe highlighted the critical gap in access to early detection tools in a country of over 200 million people, noting that many individuals still lack the resources that could potentially save their lives. “Early detection is crucial to improving survival rates, and this campaign is a vital step towards that goal,” she added.
Cancer remains a significant health challenge in Nigeria, with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting over 79,000 cancer-related deaths annually. The most common cancers affecting men include prostate and liver cancer, while women are primarily impacted by breast and cervical cancers.
The NNPC Foundation’s initiative aims to counter the trend of late-stage diagnoses, which often result from limited access to screening facilities, cultural stigmas, and inadequate awareness.
This campaign follows a successful screening drive in February 2024, where more than 200 residents in Abuja received free screenings for breast, cervical, and prostate cancers. These ongoing cancer screening campaigns reflect NNPC Ltd.’s commitment to promoting health equity and improving the overall well-being of Nigerians nationwide.
