Federal Govt To Close Cancer Treatment Gaps

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has received Project Strengthening Radiation Therapy Workforce in Nigeria (STRAWN), a supervised workforce-readiness initiative to strengthen the country’s radiotherapy pipeline and improve the safety and quality of cancer treatment delivery nationwide.

The project was formally presented to the ministry in Abuja by the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, and OncoClinics Africa, with technical support from Siemens Healthineers.

The initiative also draws input from key professional and regulatory bodies, including the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria (RRBN), the Association of Clinical and Radiation Oncologists in Nigeria (ARCON), the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), the Nigerian Association of Medical Physicists (NAMP) and the National Cancer Control Programme Technical Working Group (NCCP TWG).

Stakeholders at the event said Nigeria currently has 80 licensed radiotherapy professionals serving about 12 operational linear accelerators nationwide. They described the shortfall as a major constraint on the country’s recent investments in cancer treatment infrastructure, arguing that machines cannot deliver safe treatment without enough trained staff to run them.

Project STRAWN is structured on two training pathways. The first is an advanced programme for already-certified therapy radiographers seeking further specialisation. The second is a six-month, competency-based bridge programme for fresh radiography graduates. It combines classroom instruction with supervised clinical practice, skills logging, competency assessments, patient communication training, and exposure to quality assurance standards.

However, organisers clarified that STRAWN does not replace statutory certification requirements and does not qualify participants to practise independently as therapy radiographers. Instead, it is designed to improve clinical readiness and support a smoother transition into Nigeria’s formal certification pathway.

The programme’s principal investigator, Nwamaka Lasebikan, described STRAWN as a “governed bridge” into the regulated workforce pipeline rather than a shortcut.

“Project STRAWN is not a shortcut around regulation; it is a governed bridge into the regulated workforce pipeline. Nigeria is investing in radiotherapy infrastructure, but the machines do not treat patients independently.

“We need a competent, supervised, quality-conscious workforce that can support safe service delivery today while progressing into full certification tomorrow,” she said.

Chief Executive of OncoClinics Africa, Zahi El Khatib, said the initiative addresses one of the most pressing constraints in cancer care delivery in Nigeria.

“At OncoClinics Africa, our experience has shown that infrastructure, technology, and clinical excellence must move together. Project STRAWN addresses one of the most urgent constraints in cancer care: the workforce gap,” he said.

The Chief Medical Director of UNTH Enugu, Obinna Onodugo, said the institution’s involvement reflects its mandate to serve as a national hub for oncology training, research, and service delivery, noting that STRAWN represents the kind of collaboration needed to build sustainable local capacity.

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, commended the initiative, describing it as timely and aligned with Nigeria’s cancer control priorities. He, however, urged stakeholders to integrate sustainability measures that would help reduce brain drain among trained personnel.

Following the engagement, stakeholders agreed on a four-point roadmap: formal recognition of STRAWN as a supervised national demonstration pilot; development of scope-of-practice and supervision guidelines by the RRBN; positioning the initiative under the NCCP TWG Workforce Development Subcommittee; and phased expansion of training capacity using existing institutions as anchor centres.

The RRBN, represented by Malachy Ejimofor, Director of its training institute, pledged continued support while emphasising the need for curriculum alignment, structured supervision, and clear progression pathways.

Vice President of ARCON, Biyi Olusegun, also highlighted the urgency of expanding the radiotherapy workforce, noting that oncologists rely heavily on trained radiotherapy professionals to meet growing patient demand.

The organisers said the long-term goal is to scale STRAWN nationally, beginning with UNTH and OncoClinics Africa before expanding to training hubs across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, in line with the National Cancer Control Plan.