By Samuel Onyekwere
It has been revealed that Nigeria loses more than 40 women a day to the cold hands of death as a result cancer related issues such as breast cancer, which is the commonest, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, vaginal cancer and vulva cancer among others.
The Executive Secretary, Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP-Nigeria), Dr. Abia Nzelu, who made this revelation in a chat with the media, the rate of deaths among women due to cancer-related disease is becoming a source of concern for health workers. According to her, 40 women die daily as a result of breast cancer, while 22 women die from cervical cancer.
Nzelu made the disclosure at the media launch of Health Education on the Go, which entails deploying special buses to the streets of Lagos to enlightened and educate people on the essence of proper medical checks, to enable them discover any ailment in time especially cancer related ailments.
The buses will double as a source of public transport which will be moving round the city enlightening the people, while they drop off passengers at their various destinations free of charge. She said the initiative is important because of the level of ignorance in the country and which has contributed to the country becoming the seventh ranked nation in terms of lowest life expectancy in the world
Dr Nzelu added that the Health Education on the Go is part of the Mass Medical Mission initiative aimed at mobilizing the community for life saving free medical services.
Part of the MMM drive is the National Cancer Prevention Program aimed at making available free and quality cancer prevention care.
The other initiative, which is the pink cruise, is a mobile cancer center that takes services including cancer and general health treatment to the door steps of Nigerians. So far, four pink cruise trucks are available with state of the art facilities for screening and treatment.
There is also the pink vision which is aimed at achieving the goals of vision 2020; that is the right to sight.
The National Cancer Prevention Co-ordinator, Dr Ken Egwuchim, said the wellness Wednesday – free cancer and general health screening offers the public the opportunity to attend their free screening including premarital health promotion program for intending couples.
There is also the Oral Health Foundation which promotes optimal oral health care through screening and early intervention. He urged the general public, faith based groups , communities to mobilize themselves and invite the organizations to their community for free screening and treatment. He hinted that they can only visit a place if the hosts are able to mobilize up to one thousand people and if their roads are accessible.
The initiative is privately driven and sponsored by well meaning Nigerians.