The Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, in collaboration with Dr Lisa Flowers of Emory University, U.S., has donated advanced equipment to 10 hospitals for cervical cancer screening, including a video colposcope, thermocoagulation kits, a loop electrosurgical excision procedure machine, and Evalyn rushes for self-sample collection.

According to the World Health Organisation, in Nigeria, 23 to 28 women die daily of cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is a preventable disease which is caused by the human papillomavirus virus (HPV).

The beneficiaries are the Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital, Kano; Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara; and the Federal University of Health Sciences, Benue.

Others are the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, ⁠Island Maternity, Lagos, St Kizito Clinic, Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Anambra and NIMR HIV treatment Centre.

Speaking during the donation, NIMR boss Babatunde Salako said the equipment would improve Nigeria’s capacity for cervical cancer testing.

Mr Salako said some hospital health personnel were trained for three days on how to use the equipment.

Lisa Flowers, a professor of gynaecology and obstetrics at Emory University School of Medicine in the U.S., said the research and donation were funded by the National Institutes of Health in the U.S.

Ms Flowers, the director of Colposcopy Services at Grady Cancer Centre, said the programme aimed to make a difference in cervical cancer testing through primary HPV testing.

(NAN)