A Sierra Leonean doctor is helping to improve cervical cancer treatment in the country after receiving specialised surgical training through a programme supported by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr Rosalitta Jaida Toogbabu, a resident doctor at the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH) in Freetown, is among a growing number of local health professionals being trained to perform complex operations for women diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Her progress is an important development for Sierra Leone, where access to specialised cancer treatment remains limited, forcing some patients to seek medical care outside the country.
According to the WHO, Dr Toogbabu had previously observed a radical hysterectomy, an operation used to treat certain cases of cervical cancer, only twice before joining the training programme.
She has since gained practical experience working alongside experienced surgeons, moving from observing operations to taking a more active role in surgical procedures.
The training is part of Sierra Leone’s Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative, supported by the Ministry of Health, WHO, Zambia’s Ministry of Health, Friends of Africa and other partners.
Since 2024, specialised surgical camps at PCMH have provided treatment to 15 women diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer while helping local doctors develop the skills needed to manage similar cases in the future.
The latest training sessions took place in December 2025 and July 2026.
Sierra Leone’s efforts come as several African countries are strengthening cervical cancer prevention and treatment services.
Zambia, which has supported Sierra Leone’s training programme, has developed experience in cervical cancer screening and treatment through its national health system.
Rwanda has also made progress in cervical cancer prevention through its HPV vaccination programme, which targets the virus responsible for most cervical cancer cases.
Other countries, including Kenya and Uganda, have expanded HPV vaccination and screening programmes, although access to diagnosis and treatment remains a challenge in many communities.
These experiences show the importance of combining vaccination, early screening and treatment to reduce deaths from cervical cancer.
For Sierra Leone, building a team of locally trained specialists could help reduce the need for patients to travel abroad for complex operations.
Dr Toogbabu’s training has been supported by Dr Michael Ezeanochie, a gynaecological oncologist who has worked with Sierra Leonean medical teams since the programme began.
Earlier surgical camps involved specialists from Zambia, including Dr Samson Chisele and Dr Groesbeck Parham.
However, the 2026 surgical camp was led by Dr Ezeanochie without the earlier international surgical team, reflecting efforts to build a more sustainable training programme.
Despite the progress, Dr Toogbabu says she still needs more practical experience before independently carrying out complex cervical cancer operations.
Her ambition is to continue specialising in gynaecological oncology and contribute to cancer prevention, medical training and healthcare development in Sierra Leone.
Why Cervical Cancer Remains a Concern
Cervical cancer is one of the major health challenges affecting women in Africa, particularly in countries where access to screening, vaccination and specialised treatment is limited.
According to the WHO, cervical cancer is largely preventable through HPV vaccination and regular screening. When detected early, the disease can also be treated successfully.
However, many women in low-income countries are diagnosed at advanced stages, when treatment becomes more difficult and expensive.
The WHO has set global targets to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem, including vaccinating 90% of girls against HPV by age 15, screening 70% of women with high-performance tests and ensuring that 90% of women diagnosed with cervical disease receive appropriate treatment.
For Sierra Leone, the training of doctors such as Dr Toogbabu represents a step towards meeting those goals.
Although the number of women treated through the surgical camps remains small, the programme is helping to develop local medical expertise that could benefit more patients in the years ahead.
The challenge now is to expand access to screening, strengthen hospital services and ensure that women across the country, including those in rural communities, can receive timely diagnosis and treatment.
