The wife of the Borno Governor, Dr Falmata Zulum, on Monday underscored the need for greater awareness on cancer in the state.
Zulum made the call while inaugurating a cancer campaign at the Multipurpose Hall of the Government House in Maiduguri.
She said that the campaign tagged:”2020 Breast Awareness Campaign”, is part of her pet project, Multi-Aid and Charity Initiative, (MAC Initiative), a Non Government Organisation, aimed at creating awareness on cancer to rural women in the state.
”The aim of our gathering today, bearing in mind this year’s theme is to give hope and save Lives” was a reminder that we all are in this together to protect the most vulnerable by educating and encauraging them to go for cancer screening using Mammography.
“This campaign had for a long time been catalyst for many countries to increase resources for research and treatment giving many women and their families renewed hope and a new lease of life,”she said.
She lamented that limited access to early detection, diagnosis and treatment of this deadly disease to the spread of the disease.
“Women in most part of the country are likely to be diagnosed only at late stage of breast cancer where the eesease had spread to other organs.
“Vulnerable and those living below poverty line particularly those living in rural areas are less abled to access medical services making them to be of great risk of contracting the disease.
Zulum appealed to all to inculcate and imbibed the culture of regular medical checkup so that emerging problems are detected and treated at the onset of disease.
She added that the humanitarian organisation had invited health personnel’s to conduct free and voluntary preliminary screening to the women and girls at the occasion.
She also encouraged other well-meaning individuals to support patients diagnosed with cancer in the society.
Earlier, Dr Salisu Kwayabura, Commisioner for Health, said that 500,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer annually.
Represented by Muhammed Guluze, the Permanent Secretary, said that the state government would promote early cancer detection and treatment .
“It is in line with this that the government introduced a lot of services in our various healthcare institutions to ensure early detection and treatment.
“We have the screening facilities in the State Specialist Hospital and Maryam Abacha Hospital and other Primary Health Care Hospitals across the state,”he said.
He urged the women to take the issues concerning their health seriously. (NAN)
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