By Ibrahim Yakubu:
As the world celebrates this year’s International Cancer Day, a team of 10 medical experts comprising doctors and nurses has embarked on a sensitization campaign to persons with disability as well as inmates at rehabilitation centres in Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria.
The team which is headed by the Director, Fatima Clinic Kaduna, Hajiya Maryam Abubakar also goes from house to house in order to raise awareness among women.
Commenting on the Day, Hajiya Maryam said there are different types of cancer saying that they are all dangerous to human life.
Cancer, she added, has become a major threat to lives of men and women hence the need for all hands to be on deck to ensure cancer is eliminated world-wide.
She explained that the awareness is focused on women simply to educate the poor, physically challenged and those that are residing in rural areas and the ones living in ghettos as well as those in detention due to certain factors.
“My medical team is out for 2 days, to sensitize over 200 women destitute who include Blind, cripples and Inmates as well as others residing in the ghettos”.
“Thousands of lives could be saved each year if people are aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer and people looked for help as soon as possible, as treatment is usually more effective in the early stages of cancer.
“Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide hence the need to double efforts in raising awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment for the purpose of saving humanity and lives of millions of men and women.
“Cancer treatment very expensive for the poor women, and that is why we are out today to raise more awareness of the disease to the women, so as to prevent them from getting it” she said.
Maryam listed smoking as the biggest cause of cancer of the lung, mouth and throat hence the need to educate rural and urban women on the dangers to avert deaths.
“Obesity is the second biggest cause of cancer after smoking simply because extra fat in the body can have harmful effects, like producing hormones and growth factors that affect the way our cells work.
“The sign and symptoms of cancer include the following, a sore or bruise that does not heal, new lumps or growths on our skin, cough or hoarseness that lasts more than three weeks, indigestion or difficulty in swallowing, unexplained weight loss or tiredness.
Hajiya Maryam then called for more cancer diagnostic centres across the 36 states in order to reduce the number of women and children that are dying of the diseases associated with Cancer in the country.
A handicapped at the home of persons with disability in Kaduna metropolis, Mallama Maryam who thanked the team for the gesture, called on other health related NGOs and CSOs to also remember them in all issues related to health.
Also speaking, Mallam Lawal Maduru, Chairman of Niggers Rehabilition Centre in Kaduna commended the medical team for the service.
World Cancer Day is celebrated
4th of February every year.
