…task women to seek early treatment
The fight against cervical cancer in Nigeria has gotten a boost as the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, donated a whooping one billion naira to support the fight against the disease.
She announced the donation when a delegation of the National Task Force force on Cervical Cancer Elimination led by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, visited her as part of activities marking the World Health Day, recently.
The donation, according to her, is on behalf of the Renewed Hope Initiative to fight the scourge of Cervical Cancer in Nigeria.
The First Lady, therefore, charged women to always open up when they have health concerns, insisting that there is no need for a woman to be ashamed to visit the hospital to seek for help when facing challenges.
While commending the steps taken by the cervical cancer elimination committee to halt the disease, she reiterated that: “I am in support of what you are doing. We are on track, especially with the approach you have adopted, test, screen, vaccinate and treatment. A healthy nation is a wealthy nation.”
Senator Oluremi Tinubu noted that the fight against cancer can be won if the patients present early and seek medical intervention.
“The theme for World Health Day this year, Healthy Beginnings; Hopeful future, I believe is so apt for what we are doing here today. A healthy nation is a wealthy nation. No matter the magnitude of wealth a nation has, if its population or majority of your population is sick, you are just the poorest as far as I am concerned.”
Earlier, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, applauded the First Lady for supporting and making her voice to be heard on the introduction of the Human Papiloma Vaccine (HPV) into routine immunization program across the country. This, according to him, has made tremendous difference in the number of people that uptake the vaccine.
The Minister disclosed that the First Lady’s support has made it possible for the Ministry to immunise over 12 million girls between the ages of 9 – 13 in the first 9 months of its introduction. He further revealed that the Ministry is currently targeting to immunise 6 million girls in 2025.
On his part, the Chairman of the Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination and former Minister of Health, Prof. Issac Adewole, noted that the First Lady demonstrated uncommon political will by supporting and flagging off the introduction of the HPV vaccine into the routine immunisation program of the country.
He expressed optimism that the Committee’s target of the Double 8 Agenda (vaccinating 8 million girls and screening 8 million women every year) will be achieved if the First Lady sustain her support to the campaign. This, according to him, will lead to the elimination of Cervical Cancer by 2030.
Speaking, the NICRAT Director General, Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu, lamented that Cancer remains a major public health challenge in Nigeria with cervical cancer ranking as the second most common cancer among women.
According to him: “Each year, thousands of women succumb to this disease, a tragic loss that could have been prevented through early detection, vaccination, and treatment.
“The reality that cervical cancer is largely preventable underscores the urgency of our advocacy and intervention. Public awareness, health education, HPV vaccination, screening and treatment of both precancerous cervical lesions and invasive disease remain critical components of our strategy to end cervical cancer in line with the WHO recommendation.”
On the strategies put in place by NICRAT to fight all forms of cancers, the Director General said: “The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment has taken a leading role in this fight, employing multifaceted strategies to address the burden of cervical cancer.
“Our initiatives include the development of a National Strategic Document on Cervical Cancer Control in Nigeria, the constitution of the National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination, and the establishment of the High-Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Cervical Cancer in Nigeria.
“We are deeply honoured and eternally grateful to Your Excellency for graciously accepting to personally chair this esteemed committee, a testament to your unwavering commitment to a cervical cancer-free Nigeria.”
