AbdulAhad Otuoze
No fewer than 300 were screened for cancer by a nongovernmental organization (NGO) as part of its activities to commemorate the 2021 World Cancer Day (WCD), with the theme: ”A World Without Cancer Threat” in Yagba East local government council of the state.
The DHF Executive Director, Dr Ekundayo Samuel, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen after a week-long activities to mark this year’s world cancer day at Isanlu, Yagba East, Local Government Areas of Kogi State.
Samuel said that hundreds of women were screened for cervical cancer while over 80 men got screened for prostate cancer, while some received free drugs on Thursday and Friday.
Samuel added that the people were also screened for other ailments such as diabetes, blood pressure, among others.
”The screening is going to be a continuous process; we have officially launched the NGO on Wednesday, and therefore, people are free to come for screening at the centre henceforth.
”We are trying to see how to make ourselves available every week for people to come in and get screened at the centre.
”We are calling on relevant stakeholders, NGOs, Governments’ MDAs to come and partner with us and support what we are doing”, he said.
According to him, DHF was established to reducing cancer prevalence in Nigeria and beyond through prevention, management, research and advocacy activities.
”We have plans to cover a lot of communities in the state, but they were still experiencing low turnout due to the cultural issues; we are determined to overcome those limitations.
”We have come to stay to ensure everyone get checked, so as to overcome cancer issues in our society”, he said.
He noted that the week-long activities to mark 2021 cancer day, commenced on Monday with awareness campaign, symposium, lectures and training of health personnel on cervical cancer screening.
He stressed that cancer was very expensive to treat because no single drugs could cure cancer, saying, ”prevention is better and cheaper than cure”.
He advised the people to be physically active by engaging in exercise for at least 30 minutes daily, avoid sugary things and eat lots of fruits to improve their health.
He urged people to avoid taking too much of red meat, salty and fast foods especially after age 40, and urged women to do exclusive breastfeeding at least for six months.
Samuel further advised cancer patients to follow their doctors advise strictly, insisting that prevention remained better and cheaper than cure.
He stressed that DHF was determined to playing its own part to seeing to the reduction of cancer threat in the rural communities especially the underserved people.
Speaking, the Agbana of Isanlu and Chairman Yagba East Traditional Council, Oba Moses Etombi, commended the NGO for the gesture, saying he was very delighted to have such free medical services in the council.
Some of the beneficiaries, Mrs Ebun Aliyu, 55; Mrs Florence Aiyedun, 45; and Mr Oni Onijo, who spoke to NAN, expressed their gratitude to DHF for the screening and the free drugs given to them.
They prayed that God would continue to bless their work and prosper DHF to be able to reach out to other communities in the state and in Nigeria at large.
End.
