Sustainable health programs are built through collaboration. Between October 2025 and February 2026, Chronic Disease Mate Africa (CDMA) strengthened its commitment to long-term impact by establishing strategic partnerships with the Edo State Ministry of Health and the Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency.

These partnerships marked a significant milestone in efforts to improve cervical cancer prevention and broader chronic disease services within the primary healthcare system.

Why partnership matters

Public health challenges such as cervical cancer cannot be addressed by a single organization working alone. Government leadership is essential for ensuring that successful interventions become part of routine health services and reach more people over time.

By working closely with state health authorities, CDMA sought to:

• Support effective implementation of project activities
• Strengthen government ownership of cervical cancer interventions
• Align activities with state health priorities
• Facilitate integration within the primary healthcare system

Moving from project to system

One of the most important outcomes of the collaboration was the focus on integration rather than parallel programming. Instead of creating temporary stand-alone services, the partnership aimed to strengthen existing primary healthcare structures so that cervical cancer prevention could be delivered through routine health services.

This approach supports continuity of care, improves coordination, and increases the likelihood that services will continue beyond the lifespan of a specific project.

Building a shared vision

The collaboration involved technical discussions, planning meetings, and coordination between CDMA and government stakeholders. Through these engagements, partners worked toward a shared vision of expanding access to cervical cancer screening and preventive services for women in Edo State.

Government participation also strengthened accountability and created opportunities for future scale-up within the state health system.

A foundation for future impact

The partnership established during this period provided a strong foundation for subsequent activities, including health-worker training, community outreach, and the institutionalization of screening services at primary healthcare facilities.

Health systems are strongest when civil society organizations and government institutions work together toward common goals. CDMA’s partnership with the Edo State Ministry of Health and the Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency demonstrates how collaboration can move preventive health efforts from isolated interventions to sustainable public-health action.

As cervical cancer remains a major but preventable cause of illness and death among women, continued partnership and government ownership will be critical to expanding access to lifesaving screening and prevention services across Edo State and beyond.