Project Pink Blue, a non-governmental group that helps people with cancer, is asking for better access to pain relief and palliative care for women in Nigeria with cervical, ovarian, and other gynecologic cancers.
This request was shared in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja by Ms. Faridah Banwo, the group’s media contact.
The group said that many Nigerian women suffer from gynecologic cancers. Every year, about 7,093 women die from cervical cancer and 1,824 from ovarian cancer in the country.
Project Pink Blue is worried that many of these women die in pain because they cannot get enough pain relief or proper end-of-life care.
To help solve this problem, Project Pink Blue has started a new program called the *Count Me In: Pain and Palliative Project*, with support from the International Gynaecologic Cancer Society in the U.S.
A Steering Committee has been formed to guide this project. They will help plan and oversee the work so it runs smoothly.
This committee will help create training programs for health workers, support trial projects, push for better health policies, and help raise awareness and support research.
Committee members include Ms. Ivy Umeh, a cervical cancer survivor from Nigeria; Prof. Rose Anorlu from the University of Lagos; and Dr. Usman Malami Aliyu, head of Nigeria’s Cancer Research Institute.
Other members are Dr. AnneKathryn Goodman from Harvard Medical School; Prof. Tonia Onyeka, head of the Nigerian Hospice and Palliative Care group; and Dr. Onyinye Balogun from Weill Cornell Medical School in the U.S.
Also in the group are Dr. Raimundo Correa from Chile, pharmacist Ramatu Alabelewe from ABU Teaching Hospital, Nurse Amaka Juliet from National Hospital Abuja, and Dr. Anisa Mburu from Kenya.
The team also includes someone from Nigeria’s Ministry of Health, Imam Abduljelili Orankan (a religious leader from NASFAT), Bishop Ishaya G. Baba from Zaria, and Dr. Candidus Nwakasi from the University of Connecticut, USA.
The statement explained that over half of Nigerian women with cancer suffer from medium to severe pain.
It also said that fewer than half of cancer centres in Nigeria have working palliative care units.
Mr. Runcie Chidebe, the group’s executive director, said the *Count Me In* project will train healthcare workers, set up palliative care services, and teach cancer patients about managing their pain.
He mentioned that a 2024 report by the IGCS found that 84% of women with cervical cancer feel pain, but in low-income countries like Nigeria, many cannot get proper medicines.
Chidebe said that the World Health Organization believes every patient with a serious illness has the right to pain relief and palliative care.
“In Nigeria, it’s still hard to get pain medicines, especially oral morphine, which is the standard treatment for cancer pain,” he said.
He added that when pain management is included early in treatment, patients do better overall.
Chidebe also said that while Nigeria is making progress in preventing cervical cancer with HPV vaccines, we must not forget the women who already have cancer and are in pain.
