• The National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP) outlines key goals and objectives for Nigeria’s cancer control efforts, and details the strategies that will allow the country to achieve its aims, while recognizing important challenges.
  • The National Cancer Control Program of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) will serve as the coordinating body for the implementation of the NCCP. The FMoH, all 36 States, including Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with support of the national cancer steering committee and development partners, will be responsible for the implementation of the plan. The states will develop annual operational plans that feed into the NCCP. The National Cancer Control program will support the states with the continuous monitoring and evaluation of the plans to ensure accountability; the NCCP is guided by a set of core principles, namely: accountability, ownership, equity, integration, efficiency, sustainability, flexibility, and transparency.
  • With a common vision to reduce the incidence and prevalence of cancer in Nigeria over the next 5 years and beyond, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and stakeholders have focused their attention on strategies that will achieve the goals outlined in the NCCP; this will serve as a launch pad to reduce the incidence and prevalence of cancer in Nigeria.
  • Reflecting on the most recent Cancer Control Plan (2008-2013), seven priority areas of action were identified to guide cancer control initiatives in the country within the next 5 years and beyond.

Priority areas of action include:

  • Goal 1A - Prevention: Create awareness on lifestyle changes that will reduce risk of developing cancer. Lifestyle changes or dietary practices that modify cancer causing factors or genetic predispositions such as; a healthy balanced diet, exercise, vaccination, surgical procedures, medical interventions, reduction in alcohol consumption, and tobacco products. This can be mitigated by legislation and creation of appropriate awareness and increased taxation on tobacco products and alcoholic beverages and ban in public places. Attain 90% coverage for HPV vaccines to eligible population (children aged 9-13yrs) and 95% Hepatitis B vaccination coverage among eligible Nigerians by 2022.
  • Goal 1B - Screening and early detection of cancer: Establish nationwide routine screening programs for breast, cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancers. Create awareness of cancer screening programs, develop institutional capacity to deliver cancer screening, establish long-term follow up and referral system for detected cases; develop and disseminate referral protocol across all levels of care.
  • Goal 2 – Diagnosis and treatment: Improve access to quality, cost-effective and equitable diagnostic and treatment services for cancer care; establish well structured tumor boards at the cancer care centers to improve the quality of care patients receive. Increase the functionality of the comprehensive cancer care centers by strengthening cancer care and management services. Increase human capacity development of healthcare personnel in cancer diagnosis and treatment by 60% by 2022.
  • Goals 3 – Supply chain management: Ensure the availability of drugs, consumables and functional equipment for cancer care in Nigeria; strengthen oncology supply chain management system. Develop a robust maintenance strategy for oncology medical equipment. Establish a coordinated procurement mechanism which will reduce costs for cancer drugs and consumables by an estimated 40-50%; ensure visibility into stock availability across all level of supply and that all comprehensive cancer centers procure them centrally
  • Goal 4 – Hospice and palliative care: provide the best quality of life for cancer patients, survivors, and their families by; adopting national guidelines and policies for hospice and palliative care, increasing access to quality palliative care services for cancer patients and care givers at all levels of health care, increase access to pain management and population awareness.
  • Goal 5 – Advocacy and social mobilization: Increase cancer awareness amongst the populace; conduct effective cancer awareness and sensitization activities across all states by 2022. Increase human resource capacity in advocacy for effective cancer control. Partner with societal groups, community influencers and media outlets to increase awareness. Advocate for cancer care and control legislation and support from policy makers, community leaders, and philanthropists.
  • Goal 6 – Data management and research: conduct and support integrated programs that provides high quality cancer data for dissemination, research and planning; increase the registration of cancer cases from less than 10% yearly to more than 50% through effective cancer registration programs by 2022. Support effective data management of data, support funding, and implement routine cancer surveillance.
  • Goal 7 – Governance and finance: Monitor and coordinate all stakeholders and activities in the national cancer control plan. Ensure standardization and implementation of policies and guidelines for 5 most common cancers. Ensure effective coordination and adequate resources for cancer control and care; develop and implement framework to improve capacity and number of skilled personnel for cancer care. Establish and implement innovative and sustainable finance mechanisms, develop and strengthen system to improve accessibility and cost effectiveness of cancer care.
  • Monitoring and evaluation: The monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework describes a regular reporting structure, and seeks to ensure that data are available in a timely manner and used in decision-making.
  • Costing: Costing estimates for the 5 year period of the NCCP for stakeholders to operationalize the NCCP; The NCCP opted for an activity-based costing approach so as to provide as close to accurate as possible costing estimates to inform better budgeting at all levels. It also recognizes the different contributions required by the respective stakeholders involved in the implementation of the plan. The total budget to implement this plan for the period January 2018 to December 2022 is estimated at NGN 97, 321,725,422.53 (USD 308,957,858.48). It is expected that the government (Federal and State) will provide 75% of the funding required to implement this plan while the donors and development partners will support by bridging the funding gap of 25% over the next five years.