Zamfara Flags Off Campaign Against Cancer

By Hussaini Yero

Zamfara state government has kick-started cancer awareness campaigns among people of the state especially the rural communities.

Speaking during the flags off campaign to create awareness against the spread of cancer, the wife of the State Governor, Hajiya Huriyya Lawal, said the campaign against the cancer infections and creating awareness on the early detection was apt and timely.

According to her, it is worrisome that records from medical personnel in the state indicate an alarming situation with the prevalence going higher by the day, “For instance from 2019 to recent years in every one hundred screened women in our state about ten are either having the breast or cervical cancer infection.”

She noted with concern how such diseases were not detected early enough to allow treatment easily, but only when the affected person was in the danger zone.

It is against this background, the governor’s wife reiterated call for all hands to be on deck in changing the narrative about this deadly disease, cancer.

“We must use the current opportunity provided by the ongoing vaccination against cervical cancer to encourage our daughters within the age limit to avail themselves with the opportunity.

“As a first family we will work through our foundation and Government machinery to create awareness among our people and fight this disease out of this state and Nigeria as a whole.

“It is on this note I formally kick started this day and campaign against cancer in Zamfara state. I hope we will ensure it goes down to grassroots for the benefit of our rural dominated population,” she concluded. 

In his presentation Dr. Bello Arkilla emphasized on the needs for self breast examination every month, and in the case of detecting any abnormalities one should proceed to hospital for clinical breast examination.

Arkilla said the earlier it detected the easier the treatment, and that could help to avoid surgery as the option to cure the diseases.

He called on the government to provide more testing and screening facilities available and affordable to the citizens to promote prevention and treatment of all cancer in the state.

Also speaking, the Commissioner of Health Dr. Aisha Anka said the government is making substantial investments in the prevention and management of all cancer in the state.

The commissioner who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Aliyu Maikiyyo said the government had given attention to research and data collection as necessary for policy making. The cancer issue was not only women’s concern but public health issues.