Scientists at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) raised the alarm during a scientific briefing in Lagos, where findings from recent nationwide and state-level studies were presented.
Cervical Cancer: A Preventable Killer
Director and Deputy Director-General of NIMR, Oliver Ezechi, said cervical cancer continues to claim lives daily despite being preventable.
“By the end of today, 22 Nigerian women would have died from cervical cancer, while 33 others would have been newly infected,” he stated.
Cervical cancer is primarily caused by persistent infection with high-risk strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), particularly types 16, 18 and 45. While HPV infection is common and often cleared naturally by the immune system, persistent infection can progress silently to cancer if undetected.
Ezechi explained that current vaccination strategies are designed for maximum public health impact. The HPV vaccine in use covers four virus types responsible for about 80 to 90 percent of cervical cancer cases in Nigeria. Although broader vaccines exist, cost considerations and population coverage remain central to government decisions.
He stressed that vaccination is most effective for children under 15, who are largely not yet sexually active, urging parents not to delay immunisation while waiting for expanded government programmes.
Chika Onwuamah, Deputy Director at NIMR, added that self-collected HPV samples are nearly as accurate as clinician-collected samples when high-performance tests are used. He noted that this approach could significantly expand screening in rural or culturally conservative communities where access to facility-based services may be limited.
Antimicrobial Resistance: A Growing Crisis
Beyond cervical cancer, NIMR researchers warned that antimicrobial resistance is emerging as a serious threat to Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Senior Research Fellow Emelda Chukwu described AMR as a global crisis capable of reversing decades of progress achieved since the introduction of antibiotics.
Surveillance conducted across four sentinel healthcare facilities in Lagos revealed high levels of resistance to third-generation cephalosporins — antibiotics typically reserved for severe infections after first- and second-line drugs fail.
“These are reserve antibiotics, so seeing resistance at this level is very concerning,” Chukwu said.
The findings prompted recommendations for hospitals to develop facility-specific antibiograms to guide empirical prescribing. She also highlighted the misuse and overuse of antibiotics by both healthcare workers and the public as major contributors to resistance, warning that resistant infections can spread within communities regardless of individual behaviour.
Early Warning Through Wastewater Surveillance
NIMR researchers also monitored wastewater canals across Lagos to detect epidemic-prone pathogens, including COVID-19 and Vibrio cholerae O1, the strain responsible for cholera outbreaks. Nine local government areas showed evidence of cholera bacteria in wastewater, leading NIMR to issue an early warning that was later validated by the 2024 outbreak.
Call for Coordinated Action
The researchers emphasised that addressing both cervical cancer and AMR requires coordinated national action, including vaccination, routine screening, antimicrobial stewardship, improved sanitation, and sustained public education.
Ezechi underscored the crucial role of parents, particularly mothers, in prevention efforts.
“Vaccinating your daughter against HPV is a gift that can prevent a lifetime of suffering from cervical cancer. The cost of screening or vaccination is minimal compared to the health it protects,” he said.
Both Ezechi and Chukwu confirmed that NIMR’s research feeds directly into national policy discussions, noting their participation in technical working groups advising the Federal Ministry of Health.
The institute’s message was unequivocal: HPV is preventable, cervical cancer is manageable with early detection and vaccination, and antimicrobial resistance can be curbed through responsible prescribing and public awareness.
“The science is clear. What we need now is consistent implementation to protect Nigerians from preventable deaths and drug-resistant infections,” Ezechi concluded.