A Nigerian medical diagnostics company has begun operations in Rwanda with plans to screen hundreds of people for cancer during October, as the country steps up efforts to promote early detection.
Labscroll Medicals launched its services in Kicukiro on Thursday in partnership with the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) and the Nigerian mission in Rwanda as part of activities marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month, commonly known as Pink October.
The company plans to screen 200 women for breast and cervical cancer and 200 men for prostate cancer during the month, its managing director, Dr. Paul Ogbole Peter, said.
“We need stronger cooperation from everyone to fight cancer,” Peter said, arguing that limited awareness, inadequate screening and delays in caring for people diagnosed with cancer contribute to deaths from the disease.
Labscroll Medicals has brought laboratory equipment to Rwanda that it says will be used to test for different cancers. It also plans to provide other diagnostic services, including DNA testing.
The launch coincided with Nigeria’s Independence Day on Oct. 1, which commemorates the country’s independence from British rule in 1960.
Rwanda records about 6,000 new cancer diagnoses each year, with women making up about 60% of those cases, according to Jean De Dieu Habimana of RBC’s cancer control department.
Breast and cervical cancer are among the main cancers affecting women in Rwanda, while prostate cancer is a significant concern among men.
Habimana said Rwanda was working to bring screening services closer to the population and increase awareness of the importance of early testing.
He said about 600 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in Rwanda each year.
Zanna, who represents Nigerian interests in Rwanda, said fear and stigma remain barriers to cancer screening, with some people reluctant to test because they believe a diagnosis means they will die.
The World Health Organization says early diagnosis and timely treatment are important to improving breast cancer outcomes. Its latest estimates show that 2.4 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer globally in 2024, while 694,000 died from the disease.
Labscroll Medicals said it decided to expand into Rwanda after seeing efforts by the country’s health sector to improve medical services.
The company is expected to continue discussions with health institutions as it develops its diagnostic services in the country.
