THE WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN BREAST CANCER NAVIGATION & TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMME (WEW-BCNaP)
Implementing organisation: Project PINK BLUE – Health & Psychological Trust Centre
Background
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Nigerian women, with an estimated 32,278 new cases and 16,332 deaths in 2022 (Ferlay et al., 2024). Many patients struggle to navigate the healthcare system after diagnosis due to barriers such as medical illiteracy, fear, distrust, geographical challenges, and an overburdened healthcare workforce. A recent study by ABC Global Alliance and AstraZeneca (2024) highlighted that African breast cancer patients often face difficulties understanding medical terms and lack adequate support throughout their treatment journey.
Project Description
The Women Empowering Women Breast Cancer Navigation & Technology Programme (WEW-BCNaP), implemented by Project PINK BLUE in collaboration with AstraZeneca, seeks to address the critical gaps in breast cancer care by engaging and training women with lived experience and retired nurses as patient navigators. These navigators will provide guidance, emotional support, and education to patients, ensuring they adhere to treatment and receive timely care. Additionally, the program will leverage mobile technology to connect patients with resources and healthcare providers, improving overall outcomes.
Goal
To support breast cancer patients with the information and resources they need during diagnosis and treatment, removing barriers to adherence and ensuring comprehensive, accessible support, particularly for those in underserved communities, by December 2025.
Objectives
- To train and engage 60 patient navigators (30 breast cancer survivors and 30 retired nurses) to support patients and caregivers throughout their treatment journey by December 2025.
- To implement a mobile app technology solution to facilitate patient navigation, enhance communication, and improve access to care by December 2025.
- To directly support 2,440 breast cancer patients across the six area councils of Abuja and surrounding states by December 2025.
References
- Astrazeneca and ABC Global Alliance, (2024). Challenges in patient understanding of breast cancer biology and biomarkers.
- Ferlay, J., Ervik, M., Lam, F., Laversanne, M., Colombet, M., Mery, L., Piñeros, M., Znaor, A., Soerjomataram, I., & Bray, F. (2024). Global Cancer Observatory: Cancer Today. International Agency for Research on Cancer. Available from https://gco.iarc.who.int/today. Accessed 11 March 2025.