Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Baamlong, says the government is strengthening cancer prevention and control through increased public awareness and community health education.
Baamlong said this on Wednesday in Jos, during a media briefing to commemorate the 2026 World Cancer Day, with the theme “United by Unique”.
The commissioner said that as part of its intensified effort to strengthen cancer prevention, the government had integrated screening services into the routine healthcare delivery and had also expanded screening outreaches for breast and cervical cancer.
According to him, the government has also strengthened its referral pathways across facilities and enhanced the capacity of its health workers through constant training and retraining sessions.
He said the state’s goal was to make cancer prevention and early detection services more accessible and responsive to the needs of its people .
Baamlong buttressed that the state had also intensified efforts to prevent the Human Papilloma Virus ( HPV) by increasing awareness on the disease and on the importance of the HPV vaccine, as key in protecting young girls from cervical cancer.
He lamented that a study conducted in 2024 in Plateau showed a very low HPV vaccine awareness among young people .
Baamlong said increased awareness was ongoing, aimed at closing the knowledge gap and encouraging vaccine uptake recommended for girls between the ages of nine to 14, to protect against the virus responsible for most cases of cervical cancer.
He further said that to address the knowledge gap, the ministry in collaboration with its partners launched community outreach programmes, school visits, and media campaigns to educate families about the safety and benefits of the vaccine which was offered free of charge.
The commissioner said that with sustained awareness efforts and community participation, the state would achieve wider vaccine coverage and set a model for proactive cancer prevention.
He further called on the people of Plateau, to imbibe the act of going for recommended cancer screening, maintain a healthy lifestyle and to seek medical attention promptly for unusual symptoms.
