Roche partners OncoPadi to tackle breast cancer

A pharmaceutical company, Roche, has partnered with OncoPadi, a digital healthcare services provider, to tackle breast cancer in Nigeria.

According to a statement, Roche’s partnership with OncoPadi aims to increase breast cancer awareness and provide free screening services to 5,000 women, promoting early detection and improving chances of survival.

Roche said it would offer follow-up counselling and care for up to 12 months post-screening.

Women with suspected lumps will receive personalised care and follow-ups through OncoPadi’s innovative PROSECare App, which facilitates quick referrals to treatment centres and ensures timely diagnosis and treatment, according to Roche.

The company observed that breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women in Nigeria, citing a 2023 study, which revealed that one-in-two women diagnosed with breast cancer in Nigeria die within five years, in contrast to wealthier countries where only two in 10 women face the same outcome.

Roche noted that the mortality gap ass largely attributed to late diagnosis, often due to a lack of awareness and limited access to screening services.

Roche and OncoPadi said they aimed to close the mortality gap by improving access to essential screening and diagnosis services in Nigeria.

The General Manager of Roche Products Limited, Dr Ladi Hameed, declared that access to screening and early diagnosis was a pivotal step in winning the fight against breast cancer.

He added that Roche’s partnership with OncoPadi ensured that critical screening services were more accessible to Nigerians, regardless of their location or financial status.

“This collaboration highlights our commitment to ensuring that four in five women survive breast cancer five years after diagnosis,” Hameed asserted.

According to the firm, OncoPadi will integrate awareness and screening services, through its PROSECare App, into its existing healthcare pathways, enabling seamless referrals to over 100 healthcare providers, according to the statement.

“This integration will enable cancer specialists within a network of 100 healthcare providers to collaborate effectively and make informed timely decisions to significantly reduce the time to breast cancer diagnosis,” it noted.

The CEO of OncoPadi, Dr Omolola Salako, stated that the partnership with Roche to enhance breast cancer care for women across Nigeria allowed the company to offer widespread screening and raise awareness, bringing it one step closer to reducing breast cancer mortality in Nigeria.