The founder and Chief Executive Officer of Nordica’s Fibroid Care Centre, Dr Abayomi Ajayi, made the call as the centre marked five years of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment for fibroids, recording 1,000 treatments.
Ajayi said uterine fibroids and adenomyosis, a condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows into the muscular wall of the uterus, could affect women’s physical health, emotional well-being, relationships, careers and reproductive choices.
He warned that focusing only on clinical symptoms could leave the psychological and social consequences of the conditions unaddressed.
“When we look at uterine fibroids and adenomyosis through the clinical lens, every clinician in this room knows that the true impact of these conditions extends far beyond the physical symptoms. Fibroids and adenomyosis represent a multidimensional crisis for women. It is psychological and social as well,” he said.
According to Ajayi, some women endure heavy menstrual bleeding and other symptoms for years because they consider them normal or feel reluctant to discuss them.
He added that the resulting anxiety, loss of confidence and disruption to daily activities could significantly affect their quality of life, with some women unable to go to work during periods of severe symptoms.
“For every woman who bled every month and thought it was normal, this is for you. For every woman who was told, ‘You no longer need your uterus; just remove it,’ this is for you,” he said.
Ajayi stressed that treatment decisions should reflect each woman’s medical condition, reproductive plans and personal circumstances.
He said the centre’s five-year experience had reinforced the need to expand access to treatment options that could relieve symptoms without necessarily requiring surgery.
The centre has recorded 1,000 HIFU treatments, a non-invasive procedure that uses focused ultrasound energy to heat and destroy targeted fibroid tissue, which gradually shrinks over time.
Ajayi said the technology was introduced to West Africa to provide women with an alternative to conventional surgical procedures, including myomectomy, which removes fibroids, and hysterectomy, which involves removing the uterus.
“When we introduced HIFU to West Africa, our goal was simple but ambitious: to offer precise ablative treatment that destroys targeted tissue without surgical incisions or removal of the uterus,” he said.
He, however, noted that HIFU was not suitable for every patient, as eligibility depends on factors such as the size, location and characteristics of the fibroids. Treatment outcomes may also vary.
The specialist described the 1,000-treatment milestone as an opportunity to strengthen clinical collaboration, improve patient care and expand access to non-invasive treatment across Africa.
He noted that Nigeria was currently the only country in West Africa offering HIFU for fibroids and expressed hope that more centres would adopt the technology.
Ajayi said the ultimate goal should be to ensure that women receive care that considers not only their fibroids but also their fertility preferences, emotional health and ability to maintain their daily lives.
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