The Federal Government has called for greater African-led research, stronger partnerships and sustainable funding to develop affordable and locally relevant solutions to the growing burden of hepatobiliary cancers on the continent.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, made the call at the fifth African Hepatopancreatobiliary Cancer Consortium (AHPBCC) Conference held in Abuja.
Salako, who, as Director of Clinical Services, represented the National Institute of Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Prof. Ali Gombe, said cancer interventions in Africa must be guided by evidence that reflects the continent’s populations, disease patterns and health system realities.
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He called for greater investment in research into the epidemiology, risk factors, genetics, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hepatobiliary cancers, supported by cancer registries, clinical trials and collaborative research networks.
The minister also advocated for the deployment of digital health, genomics and artificial intelligence where they can strengthen cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and surveillance.
“Research should translate into affordable, accessible and sustainable interventions for African populations,” Salako said, describing the AHPBCC as an important platform for multidisciplinary collaboration.
He said Nigeria was strengthening cancer prevention and early detection while expanding diagnostic and treatment capacity under the National Cancer Control Strategic Plan.
According to him, effective cancer control requires an integrated process encompassing risk reduction, health education, early diagnosis, referral, surgery, systemic therapy, radiotherapy, palliative care and survivorship.
Salako said the government was also strengthening financial protection for cancer patients through the National Cancer Health Fund, although hepatobiliary cancers were currently excluded from its coverage.
He said efforts were being made to expand the fund, while the Nigerian Association for Cancer Access was offering discounts of between 50 and 60 per cent on cancer drugs.
He added that plans were also being developed for a catastrophic health fund to provide additional financial protection to patients requiring expensive cancer care.
On prevention, Salako said the government was prioritizing tobacco control, healthier lifestyles and the prevention and control of viral infections associated with cancer.
“In the case of liver cancer, particularly hepatitis, the emphasis is on the prevention and control of hepatitis B and C through vaccination, screening, diagnosis and treatment,” he said.
The minister said Nigeria was also investing in specialists, laboratories, cancer treatment centers and research infrastructure, while expanding mentoring, scholarships, specialized training and knowledge sharing.
He stressed that no country or institution could address the burden of cancer alone, and urged governments, researchers, academia, civil society, development partners and the private sector to deepen collaboration.
President of the Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology of Nigeria (SOGHIN), Prof. Abdulfatai Olokoba, said the conference demonstrated the value of partnerships between organizations working in the fields of cancer and digestive diseases.
Olokoba said the collaboration had brought together oncologists, surgeons, pathologists, radiologists, scientists, nurses and other specialists to improve knowledge and skills in the management of hepatobiliary cancers.
He said these types of cancers remained particularly challenging in Africa due to late presentation, limited resources, capacity gaps and inadequate public awareness.
According to him, the three-day conference will focus on prevention, treatment, research, survival, public health education, vaccination, surgical innovations and approaches adapted to African realities.
President of the African Institute of Liver and Digestive Diseases (AILDD), Prof. Lewis Roberts, said hepatobiliary cancers often affect Africans at younger ages, resulting in a significant loss of years of productive life.
Roberts said prevention and early detection should remain priorities because cancers diagnosed at an early stage were generally more treatable and less expensive to manage.
He said workshops at the conference were examining ways to detect bile duct, pancreatic and liver cancers earlier through advanced endoscopic procedures, endoscopic ultrasound, ultrasound and FibroScan.
Roberts said research should also explore blood-based diagnostic methods capable of detecting cancers earlier without subjecting patients to more invasive procedures.
For patients who present with advanced disease, he said research into tumor biology could pave the way for specific chemical and immune treatments tailored to individual cancers.
However, he noted that the cost of advanced treatments, including monoclonal antibodies, remained beyond the reach of many African health systems.
“We have to start now and we have to start here,” Roberts said, urging African scientists to develop solutions adapted to the continent’s realities.
The President of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Prof. Abidemi Omonisi, said the consortium was focusing its attention on liver, pancreas and bile duct cancers, which continue to claim many lives across Africa.
Omonisi said liver cancer deserved special attention because a significant proportion of cases were preventable, and chronic hepatitis B remained a major cause of the disease.
He said the consortium, established six years ago, had contributed to awareness raising, capacity building, research, knowledge sharing and networking among African countries.
According to him, the participation of North American experts also created opportunities for African researchers to establish links with institutions capable of supporting research through funding and technical partnerships.
Omonisi said Nigeria had made progress through routine vaccination against hepatitis B, particularly among children, but large gaps remained in the treatment of patients who develop liver cancer.
He noted that Nigeria did not currently have any center capable of performing liver transplants, unlike Egypt and South Africa, which have established liver transplant programs.
“People don’t die from liver cancer in developed countries because a liver transplant can be done,” Omonisi said.
He revealed that talks were underway between the government and consortium partners on establishing a liver transplant program in Nigeria, saying this could reduce the need for Nigerians to travel abroad for treatment..
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