Chris Chukwunyere, City Manager of Abuja at City Cancer Challenge, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Building Cancer Care Systems That Actually Deliver
Cancer systems are not strengthened by isolated projects. They change when leadership, data, and accountability converge.
This convergence happened last week in Abuja, where we crossed an important threshold in that journey.
At the conclusion of the City Cancer Challenge (C/Can) Abuja City Executive Committee Meeting, nine priority projects spanning the cancer care continuum were formally endorsed for implementation over the next two years.
But this moment is not about the number of projects endorsed.
It is about what it took to get here:
- A rigorous city-wide needs assessment.
- Months of co-creation and prioritization with health institutions, clinicians, civil society, and patient voices.
- And, critically, a governance structure willing to translate evidence into action.
This endorsement signals a shift, from diagnosing system gaps to intentionally redesigning the cancer care system in a way that is locally led, coordinated, and sustainable.
The real work begins now.
Implementation will require disciplined project planning, strong multidisciplinary teams, continuous learning, and accountability across institutions. It will demand that we resist siloed thinking and instead build a system where cancer care is coherent, accessible, and patient-centred.
I am encouraged by the level of leadership and collective ownership demonstrated by stakeholders from the inception of the C/Can initiative until now. This is what it looks like when a city chooses to take responsibility for its cancer outcomes.
Special thanks to members of the City Executive Committee, Adedolapo Fasawe, Usman Aliyu, Saleh Yuguda, Aminu Magashi Garba, Uchechukwu Emmanuel Nwokwu, Oiza Tessy Ahmadu, Kehinde Ololade, Olufunke Fasawe, Lola Adeyemi, Aminu Aliyu, ABIDEMI OMONISI, Runcie C.W. Chidebe, Saad Ahmed, Muhammad Raji Mahmud, Baba Gana ADAM, Mary-Gloria Orji, Dr Adamu Alhassan Umar, Ekaete David, Amaka Itanyi.
Thank you also to my amazing C/Can team for all the support and team work towards achieving this milestone- Dr. Alfredo Polo, Sophie Bussmann-Kemdjo, Dr. Lisa Montel, Paola Maldonado, Marlene Mumukunde, Isabel Mestres.
From planning to execution.
From intent to impact.
Let’s keep building.”
More posts featuring Chris Chukwunyere.
