Roche launch programme to boost early breast cancer diagnosis in Nigeria

Roche, a multinational healthcare company, in collaboration with the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) and Oncopadi Technologies has launched a programme to support breast cancer screening and diagnosis in Nigeria. The program called Breast Cancer Access Navigation and Testing (BRANT) is aimed at improving early detection and accurate diagnosis of breast cancer […]

Roche, a multinational healthcare company, in collaboration with the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) and Oncopadi Technologies has launched a programme to support breast cancer screening and diagnosis in Nigeria.

The program called Breast Cancer Access Navigation and Testing (BRANT) is aimed at improving early detection and accurate diagnosis of breast cancer by providing free immunohistochemistry tests, multidisciplinary care and navigation services for 5,000
Nigerian women.

Speaking during the launch in Abuja, Dr. Ladi Hameed, General Manager, Roche Products Limited said the burden of breast cancer consistently seems to be increasing, and requires more efforts to reduce deaths from the disease.

Represented by Dr. Bolarinwa Oyedeji, Medical Director, Roche Products Limited, he said the Incidence of the disease has moved from 28,000 to 32,000 new cases and continues to rise, adding that a new World Health Organization (WHO) report puts the incidence at 50 per 100,000 cases.

He said, “The BRANT program is our effort to address this increasing burden by supporting a framework that provides awareness , early detection , navigation to appropriate treatment centers and removal of testing barriers such that when a patient sits in front of a treating physician, she has a full compliment of results for the physician to make the appropriate treatment decision to ensure the best outcome for that particular patient.”

While saying that the program will run for the next 18 months, he said there is need to collectively think about sustainability.

The Director General of the Nigeria Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Dr. Usman Malami Aliyu, who was represented by Dr. Waziri Usman, the Director of Cancer Control and Prevention, said breast cancer, is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer globally, and that its impact on families, communities, and societies is devastating.

He said it is a disease that touches every aspect of a person’s life—physically, emotionally, socially, and financially.

He said that however early detection, timely intervention, and seamless access to healthcare resources can dramatically change the course of a diagnosis.

“It is with this understanding that this collaboration has worked tirelessly to create a solution that brings patients, healthcare providers, and support networks together in one unified system”, he said.

He added that the BRANT app bridges gaps in communication between patients and healthcare provider, adding that the agency hopes to expand the reach to more communities, so that no matter where someone lives, they can access the highest quality of care and support.

Founder of Oncopadi Technologies, Dr Omolola Salako, said it is estimated that more than 32,000 new breast cancer cases will be
diagnosed this year, 2025.

She said this means that approximately 2,700 cases each month, and 88 cases each day.

She said ,” For five seconds, I want you to imagine what it feels like for the 88 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer today. Now imagine, if you will, the mental, physical and financial barriers breast cancer raises.When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, a ton of emotions consume
her- fear, anger, confusion, hope, and a willingness to fight. If she is opportune to visit a hospital, she would soon learn of new medical terminologies that she never knew existed, e.g. prognosis, invasive ductal carcinoma, and immunohistochemistry.”

While saying that in a matter of weeks, the patient would realise the direct cost of her treatment would cost between 2-30 million naira or maybe more, Salako added that her indirect cost of care may even cost her more if her source of livelihood (her job or business ) is threatened.

She said that, the combination of these barriers and the aggressive nature of breast cancer in Nigerian women—particularly those with triple-negative and
HER2-positive breast cancer—contributes to poor survival outcomes.

She said her organization believes in leveraging technology to tackle cancer adding that the BRANT program will also support women who don’t have access to the internet.

The World Health Organization’s ( WHO) Nigeria Representative, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo who was represented by Dr Alex Chimbaru, said breast cancer was the most common cancer among women worldwide, adding that the programme was laudable as it will make breast cancer testing, navigation more accessible.