No fewer than 5,000 women in Ondo State are to benefit from the state government’s free secondary prevention programme for cervical cancer in 2022.
The Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka, made this known at a public lecture held in Akure on Friday to commemorate the 2022 edition of World Cancer Day.
Ajaka, who was represented by Dr Ayodele Adelusi, the Director, Hospital Services of the ministry, noted that the programme which was initiated by the state government was in collaboration with Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
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He said that in view of the serious health challenge posed by cancer as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, Feb. 4 was set aside to raise awareness about prevention, detection and treatment of the deadly disease.
“Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020.
“Cancer arises from the transformation of normal cells into tumor cells in a multi-stage process that generally progresses from a pre-cancerous lesion to a malignant tumor.
“These changes are the result of the interaction between a person’s genetic factors and external agents, namely physical, chemical, biological carcinogens.
“Tobacco use, alcohol use, unhealthy diet, some untreated infections, exposure to ionising radiations, physical inactivity and air pollution are risk factors for cancer,” Ajaka said.
The commissioner noted that World Cancer Day was designed to inspire change and mobilise action long after the day itself, describing cancer as a preventable and curable disease if detected early and adequately treated.
He noted that the new cancer campaign was a three-year campaign for impact tagged: “Close The Care Gap” which would translate to more exposure and engagement, more opportunities to build global awareness and create more impact.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Prof. Dayo Faduyile, stressed the need for adequate sensitisation and counseling of cancer patients by all stakeholders.
Represented by his Special Assistant, Dr Dolani Gbelela, Faduyile urged individuals to always observe changes in their bodies in order to ensure early detection of cancer.
Mrs Folukemi Aladenola, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, noted that there was an urgent need to step up efforts geared toward reducing the burden of the disease.
Aladenola, who was represented by the Director of Finance and Administration in the Ministry, Mr Tayo Akeju, said that mitigating the serious health challenge posed by cancer equally required listening to the perspectives of people living with the disease and giving them proper medical treatment.
He urged individuals to go for regular screening toward ascertaining their status, stressing that such step was an effective means of prevention and early detection of the disease.
Dr Ndidi Okunnigba, the Consultant Radiation and Clinical Oncologist, University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH), Akure Complex, delivered a lecture to commemorate the day.
She noted that there was an urgent need to remove the barriers that existed in cancer care including financial challenges and inadequate information on the disease, amongst others.
Okunnigba also called for more advocacies on the prevention, detection and management strategies for cancer. (NAN)
