The MedServe-LUTH Cancer Centre (MLCC) has kicked off a five-day Hematopathology Boot Camp aimed at strengthening the nation’s diagnostic capabilities.
The centre, formerly known as the NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre, is hosting the intensive training in collaboration with BioVentures for Global Health (BVGH), global pharmaceutical giant Roche, and other oncology stakeholders.
The boot camp, which convened in Lagos, is designed to upskill haematologists and pathologists from across the country, equipping them with advanced techniques in cancer diagnosis to improve treatment outcomes and save lives.
Lilian Ekpo, director of the MedServe-LUTH Cancer Centre, said the initiative reflects MedServe’s broader commitment to raising the standard of oncology care nationwide.
“Our goal is to increase diagnostic accuracy so that patients receive timely and appropriate care,” she said during the programme’s opening session.
As the healthcare investment arm of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), MedServe has been at the forefront of efforts to address long standing gaps in cancer care—particularly in diagnostics, infrastructure, and workforce development.
“You cannot treat what you don’t know,” Ekpo remarked. “One of the biggest bottlenecks in our cancer treatment ecosystem is diagnostic imprecision. This boot camp is helping bridge that gap by empowering our specialists to better identify and classify cancers.”
The programme features world-renowned facilitators, including Steve Cusick and Kim Thompson—both leading experts in haematopathology from the United States—who are contributing through BVGH’s technical partnership.
Participants were drawn from tertiary hospitals across the country, underscoring the national reach and strategic relevance of the training. In Nigeria, where accurate cancer diagnosis hinges heavily on pathology—the detailed analysis of tissues and cells—shortages of trained personnel and access to modern diagnostic tools have remained a major challenge.
According to Ekpo, these deficiencies often delay treatment or lead to suboptimal care.
“This boot camp is a critical intervention. It strengthens one of the weakest links in our cancer care chain,” she noted.
But the training goes beyond pathology. Ekpo emphasised that the MedServe-led transformation also involves system-wide capacity building. Backed by NSIA’s funding, the centre is sponsoring continuous professional development for medical physicists, radiation therapists, oncology nurses, and clinical oncologists.
“We are investing not just in individuals, but in a sustainable system,” she said. “Our ambition is to build a well-rounded, highly skilled oncology workforce that can tackle Nigeria’s cancer burden head-on.”
Despite the country’s ongoing brain drain crisis, where health professionals are leaving for better opportunities abroad, the MedServe-LUTH Cancer Centre has remarkably retained its full complement of oncologists and specialist nurses.
Ekpo attributes this success to a work culture that values professional development and mission-driven service. “We’re fortunate to have a deeply committed team. Initiatives like this boot camp help inspire staff to stay by showing that they are part of a larger effort to transform healthcare through global best practices,” she said.
In addition to clinical training, MedServe is ramping up patient education efforts—especially through social media—where it shares information about early cancer symptoms, preventive health behaviours, and the importance of early detection.
“A major reason patients present late is lack of awareness,” Dr. Ekpo explained. “Public education must go hand in hand with clinical excellence if we want to change outcomes.”
With cancer incidence rising steadily in low- and middle-income countries, experts say timely diagnosis and accurate classification of cancers are essential to survival.
Ekpo believes the Hematopathology Boot Camp could mark a turning point in Nigeria’s oncology landscape. “The burden is real, but it is not insurmountable,” she said. “With the right tools, the right training, and the right partnerships, we can radically improve cancer care in this country. We can—and we must—save lives.”
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