Cancer remains a major public health challenge in Africa, responsible for an estimated 533,000 deaths annually, with breast and cervical cancers accounting for the majority of cases among women.
To reduce cancer mortality through improved prevention, diagnosis, and care across Sub-Saharan Africa, the Network for Oncology Research in Sub-Saharan Africa (NORA) Consortium has hosted a five-day summer school in Abuja.
The event was hosted by the International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE) at Institute of Human Virology Nigeria in collaboration with the African Cancer Registry Network (AFCRN) and the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT). It attracted participants from NORA partner institutions in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Nigeria, and South Africa.
IRCE, which is one of the NORA partner institutions, welcomed researchers, clinicians and policy makers to the event, themed “Building Capacity for Cancer Research and Control in Africa,”
Through plenary sessions, workshops, and hands-on training, participants explored innovative solutions to the challenges of early detection, limited treatment access, and inadequate data for cancer control in low-resource settings.
Speaking at the Summer School’s Opening Session, NORA Nigeria Principal Investigator, Dr. Elima Jedy-Agba explained that the program comprises five African countries working collaboratively to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality through research and innovation.
She noted that the event convened 155 delegates from 25 countries, including experts from Germany, the United Kingdom, Scotland, and the United States.
“Our aim is to produce evidence that shapes public health policy and enhances cancer outcomes for women across Sub-Saharan Africa. Since NORA Consortium began in 2023, it has supported the establishment and strengthening of cancer registries across partner countries, enhancing data quality and comparability. It has also trained over 100 early-career researchers, clinicians, and data officers in cancer epidemiology, implementation science, and data management. NORA continues to generate multi-country data on breast and cervical cancer incidence, stage at diagnosis, and treatment outcomes, informing national policy dialogues,” Dr. Jedy-Agba stated.
IRCE Executive Director, Prof. Alash’le Abimiku said that cancer registries are key in addressing cancer in the country.
“We have done a good job in moving data forward but what we have not done is have quality data across the continent that really shows what the problem is and what our intervention is doing to tackle the problem, now through the cancer registries, we have been able to improve that situation across the country,” Prof. Abimiku said.
Also at the program, the Honorable Minister of State for Health, Dr. Adekunle Salako, said the event demonstrates a collective commitment to strengthening cancer control systems in Nigeria and across Africa.
Dr. Salako was represented by his Special Adviser on Research and Innovation, Dr. Ololade Dosunmu-Adeyemi. He said that through partnerships such as NORA and AFRCRN, Nigeria is moving closer to a future where every citizen, regardless of location or socioeconomic status, can benefit from timely detection, diagnosis, and care informed by real data.
