 |
| L-R: Dr. Olufemi Onanuga,Special Adviser on Primary Health Care; Dr. Jide Idris, Commissioner for Health, and Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, during the annual ministerial press briefing of the Lagos State Ministry of Health held at Alausa, Ikeja, weekend. |
By Chioma Umeha
Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, the wife of the Ondo
State Governor has called for collaborations among key players in the heath
sector towards ensuring effective cancer control in the state.
Speaking at the BRECAN lunch meeting with all
health professionals in the state at an event which took place at the
multipurpose hall of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Mrs.
Akeredolu reviewed some of the activities of BRECAN over the years.
She noted that the focus has always been on early
detection even as she encouraged government to improve its policies and funding
for cancer control.
She also highlighted the importance of crowd
funding campaigns, while urging major players in the health sector to key into
the initiative so as to ensure that the advocacy reaches all nooks and crannies
of the society.
In his presentation, Dr. Kingsley Ndoh, a Clinical
Assistant Professor, University of Washington and Consultant, Ondo State Cancer
Control Programme gave an overview of the successes so far recorded to include
the support and delivery of equipment from foreign partners among other things.
While noting that the strides of Mrs. Akeredolu is
the commitment of the state government to build a cancer treatment centre in
Ondo State, Dr. Ndoh further affirmed that appropriate legislative backing was
appealed for from the state house of assembly towards ensuring that cancer is
no longer a death sentence.
In his remark, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro, Commissioner
for Health in the State, while pledging to incorporate training of health
workers on self-breast examination into the system, affirmed government’s commitment
to managing cancer in the state.
Dr. Adegbenro who urged residents of the state to
key into the health insurance scheme of the present administration noted that
under the plan, there is unlimited access to funds for treatment of any
diseases
.In her presentation, Dr. Teniola Akeredolu
stressed the need for collaboration between key stakeholders in the health
sector.
Earlier in lecture, Dr. Ndidi Okunuga noted that
available statistics from Akure, the Ondo State capital, shows that there is an
average of 80 cancer cases per year.
According to her, there was a need for a
comprehensive cancer control which would encompass having more pathologists on
ground to attend to patients, more scientists to conduct researches and as well
the establishment of standard diagnostic labs among others.
Dr. Toyin Ayimoro, Ondo State BRECAN state
chairman, while delivering her lecture on Building Partnership with community
gatekeepers in cancer awareness and advocacy called for all hands to be on deck
to curb the spate of cancer.
Dr. Ayimoro who frowned at the fact that there are
no adequate resources on ground to treat cancer patients underscored the need
to strengthen partnership among all.
Highpoint of the event came with the verbal
commitment of key stakeholders to continue to support the cause.
Meanwhile, Anyanwu-Akeredolu has received a pat on
the back for her endless commitment towards raising awareness on breast cancer
in Nigeria.
The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of
Technology, Akure (FUTA), Professor Joseph Adeola Fuwape, gave the commendation
during a lunch meeting organised by BRECAN at the multipurpose Hall, FUTA, Ondo
State.
Professor Fuwape observed that BRECAN has been a
notable champion in creating awareness of the life-threatening disease and
expressed FUTA’s readiness to partner with BRECAN towards fulfilling its mandate.
