Project Pink Blue calls for improved pain relief for cancer patients in Nigeria, urging palliative care access for women with gynaecologic cancers

A growing call for pain relief for cancer patients in Nigeria has been made by Project Pink Blue, a non-governmental organisation advocating improved palliative care for women suffering from cervical, ovarian, and other gynaecologic cancers.

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The organisation raised alarm in a statement signed by its media contact, Ms Faridah Banwo, on Tuesday in Abuja.

It noted that over 7,000 Nigerian women die annually from cervical cancer, with nearly 2,000 lost to ovarian cancer.

Most, the group said, endure immense suffering due to lack of access to proper pain relief and end-of-life care.

To address this, Project Pink Blue has launched a major initiative in collaboration with the International Gynaecologic Cancer Society (IGCS) called the Count Me In: Pain and Palliative Project.

A dedicated steering committee has been inaugurated to drive the programme’s implementation and advocate for national reform.

The committee’s responsibilities include developing training curricula for healthcare providers, advising on pilot programmes, and promoting research, awareness, and policy change in Nigeria’s cancer care system.

Members of the steering committee span national and international expertise, including cervical cancer survivor Ms Ivy Umeh; Professor Rose Anorlu from the University of Lagos; Dr Usman Malami Aliyu, Director-General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Training; and Dr AnneKathryn Goodman of Harvard Medical School.

Also included are Prof. Tonia Onyeka of the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Nigeria, Dr Onyinye Balogun of Weill Cornell School of Medicine, and Dr Raimundo Correa of Chile.

From Nigeria, contributors include ABUTH’s Pharm. Ramatu Alabelewe, National Hospital Abuja’s Nurse Amaka Juliet, and Federal Ministry of Health officials, alongside religious leaders and diaspora health experts.

The pain relief for cancer push comes amid alarming statistics. Over half of Nigerian women with cancer report moderate to severe pain, yet fewer than half of the country’s oncology centres offer functional palliative care units.

Mr Runcie Chidebe, Executive Director of Project Pink Blue, said the initiative would prioritise training, patient education, and establishment of palliative care infrastructure.

He cited the 2024 IGCS consensus report, which revealed that 84 per cent of women with cervical cancer experience pain, with limited access to oral morphine in low-income countries like Nigeria.

“Pain relief is not a luxury. It is a human right,” Chidebe said. “While Nigeria is making strides with HPV vaccination, thousands of women already living with cancer need urgent care and comfort.”

He added that early integration of pain management improves outcomes and reduces suffering, stressing the need for systemic change to ensure all patients receive dignified treatment.

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The pain relief for cancer initiative signals a critical intervention aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s approach to palliative care, with emphasis on compassion, access, and inclusion.