Breast Cancer Costs Seven African Economies Over $10 Billion in Lost Productivity
Breast cancer has cost seven African economies more than $10 billion in lost productivity over a six-year period, according to new research presented during the 2026 Africa Press Day organised by Roche.
The findings, unveiled at the event held in Nairobi from 4–5 March, highlight the economic consequences of untreated or late-diagnosed cancer and the potential benefits of investing in women’s health systems across the continent.
The analysis by the WifOR Institute focused on the aggressive HER2-positive form of breast cancer, which accounts for up to 20 per cent of cases in Africa. It estimated that between 2017 and 2023 the disease resulted in more than $10 billion in lost productivity across Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Tunisia.
Researchers noted that nearly 90 per cent of these losses were linked to women in their prime working years. However, the study also found that every dollar invested in innovative breast cancer treatments could generate up to $12.40 in economic returns by restoring productivity and enabling women to live and work longer.
The research was presented during the annual Africa Press Day hosted by Roche, which brought together journalists from nine African countries alongside policymakers, economists and health experts to examine the link between health investment and economic growth under the theme “Health is Wealth”.
Kenya’s Principal Secretary in the State Department for Medical Services, Ouma Oluga, urged journalists to help shape informed public debate on health systems and solutions.
“When a health story is being told, what is most important to portray? Is it what is killing people, the solutions that should stop it, or the policy and administrative actions that connect the two?” he said.
Speakers at the event argued that as African governments pursue economic diversification and productivity, health spending should be recognised as a central economic policy rather than merely a social cost.
Maturin Tchoumi said the findings underline the broader economic value of investing in women’s health.
“Breast cancer is a rising threat to African societies and economies. The evidence clearly shows that investing in women’s health is not a cost or a social expense but a powerful economic driver that supports productivity, resilience and sustainable growth across the continent,” he said.
Participants also highlighted the persistent diagnosis gap across Africa, where around 77 per cent of women are diagnosed with breast cancer at late stages of the disease, making treatment more complex and expensive.
One example of progress discussed at the event was Kenya’s EMPOWER initiative, a digital programme designed to improve screening and treatment for breast and cervical cancer.
Dorothy Nyong’o said the programme demonstrates how partnerships and digital innovation can transform women’s healthcare systems.
Since its launch in 2019, the initiative has reached more than 235,000 women through a network of 76 physical and virtual clinics and enabled over 3,200 women to receive treatment. The programme has also been adopted by the National Cancer Institute of Kenya as a national platform.
Beyond cancer treatment, the Africa Press Day discussions also explored broader health system reforms, including integrated women’s care services in Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire, improved diagnostic laboratory networks and expanded African-led scientific research such as genomics.
Speakers concluded that strengthening health systems, particularly those focused on women’s health, could unlock billions of dollars in economic growth while improving resilience and wellbeing across African societies.
