Dr Isaac Adewole speaks to ecancer.tv about the work being done in Nigeria to combat cervical cancer. Enormous progress has been made in the understanding of this cancer and Nigeria is responding to this with a large scale programme of immunisation, screening and the development of cancer centres.

Although the planned nationwide vaccination programme is likely to raise a number of social issues, it will also offer an opportunity to drastically reduce cervical cancer prevalence. There is a need to remove stigma and educate people that cervical cancer is not a disease related to sexual promiscuity. Dr Adewole outlines the issues that must still be overcome such as training capacity, infrastructure and funding but stresses that this is an opportunity for Africans to work together to combat this disease on a continental level.